Market Intelligence

Put simply, a domain name is the unique online address used to find a website. For example, yourbusiness.co.za could be the domain name through which customers access a business’s website. Rather than having to remember the numerical Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with a website, users can simply type the domain name into their browser.

Many businesses register their trade marks once and assume they're protected forever. But as companies evolve—launching new products, entering new markets, or expanding their offerings—their trade mark portfolios often fail to keep pace. This article explores why regular portfolio reviews are essential to ensure your intellectual property protection aligns with your current business reality.

Zambia's PACRA will transition to electronic-only intellectual property certificates starting August 2026, while Mozambique adopts a new IP strategy and Uganda prepares to launch a digital copyright system. Egypt has already implemented virtual appeal committees for trademark and design disputes, signaling a broader shift toward digital IP administration across Africa.

A South African patent litigation case demonstrates the importance of substantive claim interpretation over textual analysis, as the Supreme Court of Appeal unanimously ruled in favor of Safety Engineering International LLC in an infringement dispute involving groundbreaking road safety technology. The decision provides crucial guidance on evidentiary standards when defendants fail to present their own expert testimony or measurements.

Mines often believe that stackers, reclaimers, and shiploaders can only be serviced by the original equipment manufacturer (“OEM”) because of associated intellectual property (“IP”) rights. The matter is further complicated when the OEM's IP changes hands. Mines may then have competing claims

An athlete's identity is a commercial asset, and the law increasingly treats it that way. The latest reminder comes from Norway, where Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has sued Norwegian Air Shuttle over the airline's use of his identity in a World Cup promotion. Haaland's lawyers describe the claim as one concerning the unlawful use of his "distinctive signs" to sell plane tickets during the tournament. Norway's run to the quarter-finals this summer, its first World Cup since 1998, ended in a 2-1 defeat to England.