South African authors, readers and stakeholders in the book industry note with grave concern that the Copyright Amendment Bill is scheduled for concurrence by the National Assembly on 29 February 2024. Please read the views of Gabeba Baderoon, Sihle Khumalo, Sihawukele Ngubane, Jaco Jacobs, Fanie Viljoen, Athol Fugard, Breyten Breytenbach, Margie Orford and Tannie Evita Bezuidenhout. You may join in voicing your concern by adding you signature to the online petition.
Click here to sign the petition.
We, PEN Afrikaans, ANFASA, PEN South Africa, PASA and numerous others are legitimately concerned about the introduction of a hybrid model of “copyright exceptions anchored in fair use” that goes too far in its proposed weakening of copyright protection.
The bill will deprive local creatives of existing rights and income streams. Furthermore, the local book industry will suffer, with projections of a 33% decrease in book sales and a 30% decline in employment if these provisions should become law.
Copyright law should strike a fair balance, but this bill does not. It will cause lasting harm to the very people it claims to protect. Numerous copyright law experts have said it should be redrafted in its entirety because many of its provisions are unconstitutional and not in line with international law to which South Africa is bound.
Also read:
Wysigings aan die kopieregwetgewing: Gys Visser werp lig op die probleme met die "fair use"-leerstuk
Persverklaring: Teken die petisie #StopTheCopyrightAmendmentBill