So far, no one has been brought before the courts of law for contravening the Intellectual Property and Industrial Property Acts. This was revealed by Copyright specialist at Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA), Nametso Keboetswe.
At a Civil Society Organizations (SCOs) capacity building workshop held at Echo Lodge Wednesday, Keboetswe explained that people who could otherwise have been charged admitted guilt when they were arrested, which resulted in them being detained in cells for short periods, fined admission of guilt and then set free.
Keboetswe, who was invited to shed light on funding opportunities offered by her parastatal-through a grant from the levy on technical devices fund, highlighted that the parastal was formerly the Registrar of Companies. She said it was established by the CIPA Act in 2011 and its Board of Directors was appointed on 1st October 2012.
“CIPA is tasked with among others executing the protection of the industrial property right through the Industrial property Act and the protection of the literary and artistic work; copy right and neighboring right,” she explained.
She said Intellectual property is made up of Copyright which provides protection of literary and artistic works and the Industrial property Act which protects industrial property rights such as patents, utility model certificates, industrial designs, trademarks, and geographical indications.
The copyright, Keboetswe said, protects literary and artistic works while the copyright and neighboring right Acts protect economic rights such as reproduction of a work; translation, public display, public distribution, communication to the public, rental and public lending, importation, public performance, adoption and broadcasting.
She said the neighboring right Act covers broadcasting rights and protects moral rights of the right holder-rights to paternity; right to remain anonymous and protection against anything that is prejudicial to his or her reputation.
The three-day workshop brought together various delegates from CSOs, donors and government departments.
