On the 20 June 2024, the Advertising Appeals Committee (AAC) of the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) was convened to consider an appeal against the ARB’s Directorate dismissal of a consumer complaint against Netflorist.co.za. Netflorist serves as an online gift and...
South Africa
Commercialisation of Plant Breeders’ Rights in the spotlight, as Japanese Kimito apple heads to South African shores.
An apple plant variety (HFF63) developed by Hirosaki University in Japan, and marketed under the name ‘KIMITO’, is to be cultivated in South Africa before the end of 2024. The venture follows an agreement between the university and Japanese food wholesaler and...
MultiChoice arrests video streaming pirates
In part of its ongoing clampdown on content piracy, South African broadcasting company MultiChoice has announced the arrest of two suspects associated with the Waka TV video streaming piracy operation. The arrests were the culmination of an operation carried out in...
43 arrested for production of counterfeit SIM cards
In conflicting news for proponents of South African advanced manufacturing, youth employment and multi-national cooperation, the Gauteng Organised Crime Investigation Unit recently raided a counterfeit SIM card factory located in a house in Sandton. Once on the scene,...
SA Cannabis for Private Purposes Act signed into law
On 28 May 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act (CfPPA). The Act regulates the cultivation, possession and use of cannabis by adults in a private setting. The CfPPA removes cannabis from the Drugs and Drug Trafficking...
A recent decision: The road to Section 10(7) is paved with bad intentions
“The road to hell is paved with good intentions” is an old English proverb, meaning that well-intentioned actions may have unintended consequences. One might say that the road to section 10(7) of the Trade Marks Act is paved with bad intentions, as it provides that...
The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) experiences a data breach.
The CIPC issued a notice regarding a data breach under section 22 of the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 (“POPIA”) notifying customers of unauthorised access to their systems on 29 February 2024. Personal information of clients and CIPC employees was...
Qualcomm and Adams and Adams Launch Free Online IP Training for African Innovators
Qualcomm Incorporated in collaboration with Adams and Adams has launched the L2Pro Africa IP e-learning Platform, a free online training tool. Qualcomm and Adams and Adams Launch Free Online IP Training for African Innovators Qualcomm Incorporated has launched the...
SOUTH AFRICA – UPDATE ON THE COPYRIGHT AMENDMENT AND PERFORMERS’ PROTECTION AMENDMENT BILLS
On 26 September 2023, South Africa’s upper House of Parliament, the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), adopted the highly controversial Copyright Amendment Bill, and the Performers’ Protection Amendment Bill. The Bills were sent back to the National Assembly (NA)...
AFRICAN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE DAY 2023
On 31 August, African Traditional Medicine Day, established by the World Health Organisation African region, honours the integral role of traditional medicine in the health and welfare of generations of people on the continent. The event serves as a platform for...
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