Listen | The Copyright Amendment Blow? How The Bill Will Affect The Creative Sector

South Africa's Constitutional Court has delivered a landmark ruling on the Copyright Amendment Bill, upholding the controversial shift to 'fair use' while striking down broad educational exceptions for textbook copying. The judgment leaves critical questions unresolved about contract terms, ministerial powers, and the Bill's complete silence on generative AI—creating both constraints and opportunities as Parliament must now revisit legislation conceived over a decade ago.

The South African flag represents more than national identity—it's a protected symbol with strict legal requirements for commercial use. Businesses seeking to incorporate the flag into their branding or products must navigate complex regulations under the Heraldry Act and Merchandise Marks Act, requiring ministerial consent before use in trade marks, packaging, or advertising.

In July 2023, three independent designers filed a lawsuit in California against Shein, the popular online fashion retailer. They allege that Shein sold exact copies of their work which infringes their copyright...

As a millennial, it took me a while to embrace the Tiktok trend and ‘get with the Gen Z program'. In between billable work one evening, I found myself scrolling on the app...

In today's digital-first world, graphic design platforms like Canva and Adobe Express have become indispensable tools for entrepreneurs.

As artificial intelligence transforms content creation across industries, businesses face mounting questions about transparency, consumer trust, and legal compliance. With the EU mandating disclosure of AI-generated content and South Africa developing its own AI policy framework, companies must navigate emerging risks around intellectual property infringement, misleading representations, and brand protection in an increasingly synthetic media landscape.

South Africa is positioning itself as a key player in the global electric mobility and battery value chains through strategic support for locally developed technologies and intellectual property. Can government-backed research partnerships and mineral resources be successfully converted into competitive industrial applications? The collaboration between academic institutions and industry demonstrates a model for technology commercialisation in the energy-storage sector.

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

The Gauteng High Court recently heard a case that’ll have serious implications for the vehicle and insurance industries.

A South African High Court has ruled on the lawfulness of account freezing by banks based on fraud suspicions and affirmed SARS's authority to issue third-party notices under section 179 of the Tax Administration Act. The case arose after a close corporation fraudulently claimed a VAT refund of R3.28 million, transferred R900,000 to an individual's account, prompting the bank to freeze the account and SARS to pursue recovery through a third-party notice.

A mortgage bond is registered when an owner of immovable property uses the property as security to raise funds from a bank or other financial institution.

Private bodies - such as hospitals, medical practices, banks and everyday employers - regularly receive requests for access to information under the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 ("PAIA"). Many recipients assume they have no choice but to comply with every request placed before them

As a millennial, it took me a while to embrace the Tiktok trend and ‘get with the Gen Z program'. In between billable work one evening, I found myself scrolling on the app...

The South African flag represents more than national identity—it's a protected symbol with strict legal requirements for commercial use. Businesses seeking to incorporate the flag into their branding or products must navigate complex regulations under the Heraldry Act and Merchandise Marks Act, requiring ministerial consent before use in trade marks, packaging, or advertising.

A Nigerian Federal High Court has ruled on a high-stakes copyright dispute over the globally acclaimed gospel song "Way Maker," examining whether a music producer's technical contributions to a recording constitute co-authorship. The judgment clarifies the critical distinction between creative authorship and production services in determining copyright ownership. This decision carries significant implications for how the music industry documents and allocates rights between artists and technical contributor

South Africa's Constitutional Court has delivered a landmark ruling on the Copyright Amendment Bill, upholding the controversial shift to 'fair use' while striking down broad educational exceptions for textbook copying. The judgment leaves critical questions unresolved about contract terms, ministerial powers, and the Bill's complete silence on generative AI—creating both constraints and opportunities as Parliament must now revisit legislation conceived over a decade ago.

Claims against estate agents for latent defects discovered after the purchase of immovable property are frequently pursued without a full appreciation of the legal requirements that must be satisfied for success.

In today's digital-first world, graphic design platforms like Canva and Adobe Express have become indispensable tools for entrepreneurs.

In line with Ministerial Decree No. 493/2025 the newly established Egyptian Intellectual Property Authority (EGIPA) EGIPA, located at the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology...