South Africa’s Copyright Amendment Bill: Ongoing Parliamentary Debate

Date: February 2024, with developments continuing into 2025
South Africa’s parliament passed the Copyright Amendment Bill in February 2024, a significant step toward modernizing the country’s 1978 Copyright Act. The bill, still awaiting presidential assent as of early 2025, aims to strengthen IP protections for creators while addressing accessibility issues, such as provisions for visually impaired persons. It introduces fair use principles, aligning South Africa’s copyright framework with global standards, but has sparked debate among creative industries over potential impacts on artists’ rights.

The International Panel of Legislators Advancing African IP (IPLA), registered in Harare and Yaoundé, has supported stakeholder consultations to balance innovation and creator protections. IPLA’s advocacy emphasizes harmonizing South Africa’s laws with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Protocol on Intellectual Property Rights, under negotiation in 2025. The bill’s progress reflects parliamentary efforts to address IP challenges, though critics argue it needs clearer enforcement mechanisms to combat piracy, which costs industries like Nollywood millions annually.

Source: News24, February 29, 2024; IPLA Africa Advocacy Reports