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Paid a pittance: The artist’s path is never linear, but it has over the years become increasingly unsustainable. Photo: Unsplash

The cost of creativity

South African artists keep dying poor while their work enriches others. The Copyright Amendment Bill could finally change that – if it ever becomes law

Businessman working on laptop and looking at desktop computer monitor. Male professional sitting at his office desk and working on new software program.

Competition Commission’s assumptions about the Copyright Bill are mistaken

The controversial Bill’s ‘fair use’ clause risks giveaway of South African news media’s content to digital platforms

Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm, Phala Phala. (Leon Sadiki)

Politics will continue to play out in courts in 2025

From parliament’s rejection of the Phala Phala report to the president’s signing of the NHI Act, the courts are again due to pronounce on consequential political acts

Influence: Several political parties have voiced concern about overreach and lack of accountability in the judiciary. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy/M&G

After years of debate in parliament, Ramaphosa sends copyright bill to concourt

The president’s concerns include that the Bill is not compatible with South Africa’s obligations under international copyright conventions

Visually impaired people need fair access to information in accessible formats. File photo

This is why Blind SA is taking legal action against Cyril Ramaphosa

The Copyright Amendment Bill has been passed by the National Assembly but is still awaiting the signature of the president

Disability rights: Ramaphosa’s delay on Copyright Amendment Bill angers Blind SA

Blind SA has criticised the president for missing the signing deadline, which is impacting access to accessible formats for the visually impaired

Princess of Africa: Yvonne Chaka Chakawill be among the performers at the DStv Delicious Festival this weekend. Photo: Cristina Aldehuela/AFP

Yvonne Chaka Chaka to honour Miriam Makeba at DStv Delicious Festival

The singer will pay homage to legendary artists such as ‘Mama Africa’ and Brenda Fassie

Graphic: John McCann

Copyright Bill feeds into Big Tech’s agenda to grab creative content

The bill in its current form creates a safe haven in South Africa for machine learning

The limitations and exceptions to copyright protection do not only serve public interest organisations, they also serve authors and creators themselves.

Copyright bill enables creatives to own their work and be paid fairly

The Copyright Amendment Bill, which is on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s desk waiting to be signed, has been unfairly and incorrectly criticised

AI-generated art: Protected in SA law?

As we move into a new era of creativity, legal frameworks need to take in the role of human intellect in the creation of AI-generated works

Netflix and not-so chill: How streamers shape South Africa’s film industry

Subscription streaming services have become giants. Some will be lifted onto their shoulders and some will be crushed under their weight

(Graphic: John McCann/M&G)

It’s vital to get the Copyright Amendment Bill right

The currently proposed hybrid ‘fair use’ principle does not do nearly enough to protect artists, and will bankrupt them if it forces them to litigate each instance of copyright…

President Cyril Ramaphosa will appear before the Zondo commission for four days in late April, to testify both in his capacity as president of the country and as president of the ANC. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Behind Ramaphosa’s rejection of the Copyright Bill

The poorly conceptualised and materially flawed proposed legislation was patched up instead of being rewritten. It will now go to Parliament, which should reject the Bill as…

(John McCann/M&G)

See the light and pass the Copyright Amendment Bill

Strict copyright laws, championed by media mega-monopolies, dash the prospects of young learners, performance artists and the blind in South Africa

Misplaced: Behind the scenes of Queen Sono. Similar international co-productions are likely to be adversely affected by the copyright and performers Bills. (Netflix)

Bills knock movie, TV industry

Film-makers fear that two new laws will affect the viability of productions

President Cyril Ramaphosa

Cyril’s industrial reboot will not drive economy to success

The president disclosed a development U-turn but the Special Economic Zones and China’s carbon intensive interests are likely to prevail

Graphic: John McCann

Dear Cyril, sign the Copyright Amendment Bill

Reasonable time has now passed for you to act, say the signatories of this open letter to the president and Cabinet ministers

The whole package: Lawyers (from left) Andrew Curnow, Nothando Migogo and Matodzi Ramashia have joined forces to help creatives have sustainable careers. (Delwyn Verasamy)

Sosela’s one-stop-legal-shop for the arts

Three lawyers, two of them from corporates, have set up a firm offering legal and business advice

(John McCann/M&G)

USAf’s Copyright Bill rebuttal raises questions and answers none

Bawa’s response misses the point completely. Furthermore, it seem USAf does not represent the position of all South African universities on this issue

Access to knowledge: The Cecil H Green library at Stanford University. The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions holds the same view on copyright as USAf.

USAf’s position on Bill in line with its mission

Universities South Africa takes exception to André Myburgh’s characterisation of its submission on the Copyright Amendment Bill