Copyright
Hybridity Provides Flexibility in Copyright Law
After a seven-year process through Parliament, the South African Copyright Amendment Bill [B13F-2017] was passed by both Houses of Parliament on 29 February 2024. In mid-October 2024, the President sent the Bill to the Constitutional Court to rule on its constitutionality. The Bill has been contentious since it was first published for public comment in […]
Blind SA’s Quest for Equity and Access Leads Copyright Bill to ConCourt
President refers Copyright Amendment Bill to the Constitutional Court After a seven-year Parliamentary process, a thorough review following Blind SA’s action against the President in May 2020, and retagging that resulted in a process through the Provincial Legislatures, the Copyright Amendment Bill [B13F-2017] (‘Bill’) was passed by Parliament on 29 February 2024, with majority support […]
It’s Time for the President to Sign the Copyright Amendment Bill
Copyright Amendment Bill was approved over 5 months ago One of the most progressive and pro-transformation bills on the President’s desk is the Copyright Amendment Bill. This was passed by both Houses of Assembly on 29 February 2024. It resolutely speaks to the President’s Address on 18 July 2024, and the GNU Statement of Intent, […]
Who is the Real ‘Enemy’ of Artists in the Copyright Chess Game?
Let’s be frank. The Copyright Amendment Bill in its various versions since 2015 has been attacked from all sides, for so many shameless reasons, too many to count. Supporters of the Bill have been called ridiculous names in the media, such as ‘Big Tech agents’ and ‘Dark Forces’. ‘Fair use’ has been called an ‘alien […]
Who’s ‘Pulling the Wool Over Whose Eyes’?
Strategy of disinformation The carefully planned and persistent strategy of intermediaries and multinationals to criticise and spread disinformation about the Copyright Amendment Bill has been blatant since the Draft Bill was first published by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for public comment in 2015. As far back as the multi-stakeholder conference organised by […]
Why Should a Human Rights-Related Copyright Bill Sink AGOA?
I was somewhat surprised at the article entitled ‘SA’s new copyright bills could sink Agoa – Contentious laws could ‘substantially lower’ protections’, published in The Sunday Times newspaper on 30 July 2023. Despite opposition from mainly rightsholders, collecting societies, a few political parties, and multinationals, the Copyright Amendment Bill has been strongly supported by international, […]
What Royalties? Never Seen a Cent!”
Academics, Scholarly Authors and Copyright In my 38-year career as a professional librarian, 24 years of which were managing the Copyright Services Office at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, I often pondered why academic authors appeared to show little interest in copyright issues, and seldom came to the table when legislative reforms were proposed. […]
A Right to Research?
Launched at the start of 2021, the Right to Research in International Copyright Law project aims to define and implement rights to research within international copyright law and policy. The project produces high impact research, provides training to a global network of change makers, and connects a global academic network to the work of global […]
Call for Submissions on Bills
Notice today from PMG, Parliamentary Monitoring Group Dear Subscriber, The Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour invites interested people and stakeholders to submit written comments on two Bills: Performers Protection Amendment Bill [B 24D – 2016] and Copyright Amendment Bill [B 13D – 2017] Enquiries, as well as written […]
National Assembly Passes Copyright Amendment Bill (September 2022)
On 1 September 2022, the progressive Copyright Amendment Bill (B13D-2017) was finally passed by the National Assembly. 163 voted for and 45 voted against the Bill, with no abstentions. 4 political parties (Democratic Alliance (DA), Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus), African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) rejected the Bill in toto. […]
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