Latest News and Insights
November 9, 2026
Trade Marks Across Borders: The Limits of Protection in South Africa and Abroad
Are you a business owner who has registered a trade mark in South Africa and assumed that it would protect your brand worldwide? If someone in another country uses the brand you’ve spent years building, do you have any legal recourse?
This is precisely the situation faced by Plato Coffee, one ...
November 2, 2026
AI Is Transforming South African Mining. But Who Owns the Invention?
South Africa's mining industry is at a precipice. As mines pursue greater depths, they face ageing infrastructure, skills shortages and mounting pressure to improve safety. Sustainability and productivity are forcing companies to rethink how they operate. In this environment, artificial intellige...
October 19, 2026
Soft Coffee v Nonnas Pasta: One Mark, Two Different Uses
A recent High Court decision, involving Soft Coffee and Nonnas Pasta, is a reminder that the scope of trade mark protection depends not only on the mark registered, but also on the goods and services in respect of which it is registered. It also raises questions about how the identical-goods ...
October 15, 2026
When Wine Law Comes to Africa: AIDV Heads to Stellenbosch
This October, the world of wine law is coming to South Africa.
From 16 to 18 October 2026, the Association Internationale des Juristes du Droitde la Vigne et du Vin (AIDV) ...
October 6, 2026
Beyond the Logo: Protecting Your Product Get-Up
Standing out in a competitive market and attracting consumers' attention is not easy. To do so, the overall appearance of a product (known as the “get-up”) should be distinctive. The get-up of a product encompasses far more than just a name or logo: it includes colours, packaging, shape, layout, ...
October 2, 2026
Zambia Moves Closer to Stronger Border Protection Against Counterfeit Goods
Zambia has taken a significant step towards stopping counterfeit goods at the border with the introduction of a new Trade Marks Act, but the new trade mark enforcement system will only become operational once the Regulations are promulgated.
For years, businesses see...
September 23, 2026
Proudly South African? Heritage Day, Branding and Intellectual Property
Heritage Day provides businesses with an opportunity to celebrate South Africa’s culture, identity and heritage. For brands, it can also present an attractive marketing opportunity. The South African flag, local languages, cultural references and phrases celebrating local pride can all create pow...
September 22, 2026
The Weight of Weightless Things
There are two kinds of people: those who read dystopian fiction to feel frightened, and those who read it to feel prepared. The worrying part is when the two start feeling like the same thing.
I recently re-read The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham, written seventy-five years ago but as uns...
September 15, 2026
Own-Name Defence: Your Name Is Not a Free Pass
A recent UK High Court dispute between Estée Lauder Companies, luxury fragrance founder Jo Malone and fashion retailer Zara is drawing renewed attention to the limits of the so-called “own-name defence”. Both South African and UK law generally permit individuals to use their own names in good fai...
September 11, 2026
Patent Prosecution Highway: Where Does South Africa Fit In?
The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) is an important work-sharing mechanism that can assist patent applicants to reduce prosecution timelines and, in some cases, prosecution costs, across multiple jurisdictions. The PPH network is expanding rapidly, including into African countries, making it inc...
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