Zipo: Making Headway Despite Operational Constraints
Although the Zimbabwean Registry has welcomed the fact that its Industrial Property Automated System (IPAS) is up and running again, the Registry’s operations were severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic as ZIPO is now running on a limited staff complement.
The Controller of Patents, Trade Marks & Industrial Designs has however assured practitioners that the remaining staff are hard at work trying to manage the backlog and that they hope to receive some extra hands to relieve the pressure in the coming days. ZIPO further confirmed that filing receipts will be issued in order of the date of filing and that priority dates on timeously filed applications will be acknowledged. It is anticipated that most filing receipts (in order of the date of filing) will be made available on 24 May 2021 and the next Journal is expected to be published at the latest in June 2021.
There’s no smoke without combustibles
Following the adoption of the motion of desirability in June this year, the Portfolio Committee on Health commenced its section-by-section deliberations on the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery...
September 09 2026
Respecting the Lens, Part 2: Why "I Didn't Know I Needed Permission" Is Not a Copyright Defence
Last year, in our article Respecting the Lens: Copyright Infringement and the Rights of Photographers in South Africa, we addressed a common misconception encountered in copyright enforcement matters:...
August 28 2026
The Trade Mark That Refused to Die: Deadwood or Zombie?
The Case of Altron Ltd v Tracker (Pty) Ltd Pretoria High Court, 2026 A trade mark unused for almost ten years might ordinarily be destined for removal. Yet in Altron v Tracker, residual reputation hel...
August 27 2026