South Africa: Patent

A business preparing to launch a crop-protection product in South Africa may invest substantially in technical data, registration, product development, manufacturing arrangements and distribution. Regulatory approval confirms compliance with the applicable registration framework. It does not establish that commercialisation of the product will be free from third-party patent rights.

South Africa has secured a groundbreaking trade agreement with China, opening new export channels for locally produced cherries and potentially blueberries. With established production infrastructure and a robust plant variety protection system under the 2018 Plant Breeders Rights Act, the country is positioning itself as a strategic global production base for commercial exploitation of new plant varieties, particularly for Northern Hemisphere markets during off-season periods.

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.

Elite and professional sport has entered a new era, one driven by wearable technology, advanced analytics and AI‑enabled performance monitoring. Tools such as GPS tracking, heart‑rate analysis...

Modern sport is propelled by marginal gains and those gains nearly always come from better materials, smarter engineering or improved manufacturing methods that are then converted into market power through the careful...

South Africa's agricultural sector presents significant commercial opportunities for horticultural businesses and farmers who breed or import plant varieties.

While most people know GoDaddy as the go-to platform for buying domain names or creating a quick website, behind the scenes there's a major Intellectual Property fight playing out and it is a big one.

The ongoing patent dispute between Apple and Masimo has become one of the most significant modern examples of how high-stakes patent rights shape product design...

In October, EGIPA also published various ministerial decisions affecting the official fees payable relating to the prosecution of applications, registrations, and maintenance of registrations in respect of patents...