Date: January 25, 2025
South Africa’s parliament passed the Expropriation Act in late 2024, signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa on January 24, 2025. While primarily focused on land reform, the act has raised concerns about its potential impact on IP rights, as it allows government expropriation of property—including intangible assets like patents or trademarks—under specific conditions (e.g., public interest, non-use of property). The Democratic Alliance (DA), a coalition partner, opposed the act, arguing it could undermine property rights, including IP, and is consulting lawyers for a constitutional challenge.
IPLA and legal experts have called for clearer parliamentary guidelines to ensure IP assets are not arbitrarily expropriated, citing risks to investor confidence in South Africa’s creative and tech sectors. The act’s passage highlights tensions between land reform and broader property rights, with ongoing parliamentary debates expected in 2025 to clarify IP protections.
Source: Fox News, January 25, 2025; Bloomberg, January 20, 2025