What Is A Registered Design?

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.

According to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), South Africa is currently grouped under middle-income countries, amongst other African countries such as Egypt and Algeria.

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