News & Insights
The Laws and Acquisitions in South Africa: Types of Acquisitions
In the world of corporate finance, an acquisition is considered to be a transaction in which an individual or entity (company) purchases some or all of the shares of a business. In South Africa, mergers and acquisitions are in part regulated by the Companies Act No 71 of 2008 (Companies Act). Acquisitions are a popular […]
June 27 2022
Answering the Question: What Are the Different Types of Trade Marks?
The registration of trade marks under the Trade Marks Act, 1993 (Act 194 of 1993), can be vital to the success and protection of your brand. In South Africa, a trade mark is registered with theCompanies and Intellectual Property Commission (“CIPC”), beingthe national authority that is responsible for the national trade mark register for South […]
June 21 2022
Conveyancing Attorneys: What They Do and Why You Need One
Buying a new home or property is an exciting prospect; however, the process may seem complicated and many do not fully understand the costs involved. In this article, we will discuss how conveyancing fees work, but more importantly, whether you need a conveyancing attorney and what a conveyancing attorney does. What Do Conveyancing Attorneys Do? […]
June 21 2022
Trade Marks: Overview of procedure and fees
It goes without saying that it is extremely important to protect your brand and the trade marks signifying it. Registration of your trade marks will serve to deter potential infringement and will offer an easy remedy in instances of actual infringement. Registering your trade marks correctly and securing adequate protection can, however, be a daunting […]
June 21 2022
Types of Intellectual Property: Trade Marks
A trade mark is a sign capable of distinguishing the goods / services of one entity from that of another. In other words, it is allows for a product or service to be identified as belonging to an individual or business and functions to distinguish the particular goods / services from those of others in […]
June 21 2022
DELICTUAL LIABILITY FOR SPORTS’ INJURIES AND FATALITIES
Delictual claims ordinarily dominate our courts. This is evident from the annual statistics relating to legal claims against various organs of the State and departments of government. Not only do such claims get instituted against public entities, but there are also various claims of such nature against private institutions. What is seldom, however, is to […]
June 15 2022
High court judge finds spousal visa rules unconstitutional
Gone are the days where spousal visas of a foreigner, who has parental responsibility and rights in South Africa, expire upon the termination of the spousal relationship which formed the basis of the visa. Foreign parents and caregivers of South African children shall now be allowed to remain in South Africa, even after their relationship […]
June 14 2022
Selling your artwork on consignment
“One of the things I like about our contract is that you have relieved me of a great deal of personal interviewing and corresponding, among other things, which allows me a lot more time for painting” – E.J. Hughes The South African art market has shown exponential growth over the last two decades and the […]
June 13 2022
THE FIRST MANUAL FOR GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT
A comprehensive manual on geographical Indicators in Africa has been developed by several experts under the auspices of the Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation project in Africa (AfrIPI). The manual is available online in English and French. Geographical Indications (GIs) have been receiving increasing attention on national and international level by producers, consumers, and policymakers […]
June 10 2022
Winds of change in OAPI Top Management
The Board of Directors authorised the launch of a recruitment procedure for a new CEO, subsequent to the dismissal, with immediate effect, of the Deputy Director General (DGA) of OAPI, Mr Jean-Baptiste Noël Wago on 13 May 2022. This is unfortunately a further difficulty with top management as the CEO, Ivorian Denis Bohoussou Loukou, was […]
June 10 2022
OAPI CALLS ON BURKINA FASO FOR SUPPORT
A Delegation from OAPI visited Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso on 13 May 2022 as part of the 8th extraordinary session of the Board of Directors of OAPI to meet with the prime minister, Mr Albert Ouédraogo. The aim of the meeting was to obtain the support of the Burkinabe government during what appears to be […]
June 10 2022
LIBERIA: MINISTRY CRACKDOWN ON PIRATES TO PROTECT CREATORS
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) in Liberia recently took drastic action against piracy by shutting down businesses offering local and international pirated goods, related primarily to the entertainment industry. The aim is to get rid of any black-market goods altogether. Piracy is considered a serious offence in the territory, with sanctions such as […]
June 10 2022
Kenya - Copyright Amendment act
Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta signed the 2021 Copyright Amendment Act into law[1] on 4 April 2022. It introduces a new royalty sharing formula which entitles musicians and performing artists to receive a guaranteed 52% of revenues generated from the licensed use of music for ring-back tones used by telecommunications companies.[2] It will come as some […]
June 10 2022
SOUTH AFRICA: COPYRIGHT AMENDMENT BILL
On 12 May 2022, the Constitutional Court[1] heard argument on whether it should confirm the 2021 Gauteng High Court ruling (in the matter of Blind SA v. Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition and others[2]) which declared the Copyright Act unconstitutional for not providing copyright exceptions to allow organizations representing blind and visually impaired persons to […]
June 10 2022
Nigerian Copyright Commission
The Nigeria Copyright Commission, located in Abuja, destroyed pirated works in a public display in the state of Akwa Ibom, assisted by the State Waste Management Board. The pirated works not only included books, CDs and the like, and also infringing items such as electronic cables and decoders, which were seized by the Commission over […]
June 10 2022
A token Approach - Web3 domains
Since 2021, we have seen the rise and rise of NFTs (non-fungible tokens). The NFT boom has been powered by the sale of NFT artwork, the first-ever tweet on Twitter and even popular memes, which have all fetched a pretty penny. The hype following the minting and sale of some NFTs has also brought into […]
June 10 2022
ARIPO patent examination
A training programme for examiners of patent applications is scheduled to take place from 11 to 26 July 2022, which will be hosted in Zanzibar, Tanzania. The training programme is a partnership between The African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO), the Patent Examination Training programme (APERT), AfrIPI (the Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation project in […]
June 10 2022
ARIPO and OAPI sign a MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
A delegation from ARIPO, led by the Director General, Mr. Bemanya Twebaze, visited the OAPI headquarters in Yahounde from 16 to 18 May 2022. The Director General of OAPI, Mr Denis Bohoussou, hosted the delegation for discussions on intellectual property issues as part of the work of the 6th joint commission between the two institutions. […]
June 10 2022