Protecting our South African Heritage
South Africa has a rich heritage, from the indigenous fauna and flora to the languages spoken in the country as well as our culture and traditions. Many of the indigenous people of South Africa have traditions that are passed down orally from generation to generation. As an example, during special occasions, there will be a […]
Pioneering Women in Innovation
Tembeka Ngcukaitobi wrote an article on 9 August 2018 titled “Let the world know that women were once not “persons” in the eyes of the law”1. He was referring to the 1912 case of Incorporated Law Society v. Wookey. Madeline Wookey applied to serve articles at a law firm and the Law Society refused to […]
Fashion and Innovation
Hot off the heels of the Olympic Games starting, South Africans had mixed reactions about the design team SA’s Olympic uniform. We’re not going to delve into the aesthetics of the outfits but what we would like to discuss is innovation in the fashion industry. Fashion designs are unique, they present new patterns and are […]
Empowering the Youth
Two things that can greatly alleviate poverty and other socio-economic disparities on the African continent are youth employment and entrepreneurship1. The fourth industrial revolution is presenting opportunities for youth innovation and entrepreneurship. It is imperative that Africa’s youth be empowered to enable them to overcome technology skill shortages and competencies1. South Africa is facing one […]
Innovation and Intellectual Property Systems in Africa
Innovation and Intellectual Property Systems in Africa The United Nations projected that by 2050, Africa’s population would more than double and increase from 1 billion in 2019 to 2.4 billion in 20501. This will be a young population as half of it will be under 25 years of age1. Concerns have been raised about the […]
SMEs and the role of Intellectual Property in their growth
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the engines of the world economy. Over 90% of businesses worldwide are SMEs and 70% of people that are employed in the private sector, work at an SME. SMEs are key drivers to job creation, innovation and growth. According to the World Bank, “relative to large firms, SMEs enhance […]
To Place a Patent Ban on COVID-19 vaccines or not? That is the Question.
What came first, the chicken or the egg? Do intellectual property rights promote more innovation and technological advancements or is necessity indeed the mother of all invention? In other words, with or without the incentive of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), would we still have rapid advancements in technology and other fields? These questions become even […]
