The Business Impact of Intellectual Property Laws in South Africa

A study released today documents how the intellectual property laws in South Africa impact  influence business operations in the country.

The results of this in-depth analysis have international implications, as many nations are struggling today with their intellectual property laws to keep pace with fast moving technological advances.

The analysis was conducted by Nthabisheng Phaswana and Dario Tanziani of the law firm Adams & Adams, and reported in their publication, “The Business Impact of Intellectual Property Laws in South Africa.”

The first section, “Intellectual Property and Foreign Direct Investment,” concludes “…foreign investment from developed economies into developing economies goes hand in glove with the protection of intellectual property.”

The second section addresses “Intellectual Property and Research and Development (R&D)” specifically citing the “Intellectual Property Rights from Publicly Financed Research Act” (2010) to assure that the results of publicly-funded research are translated into innovative products and businesses.

Third, “Intellectual Property and Job Creation,” provides a case study demonstrating how intellectual property has the potential of creating jobs.

The study concludes with “South Africa’s Progress in Respect of Intellectual Property,” citing the country’s efforts to create an intellectual property regime conducive to business growth and economic development.

About the authors

Nthabisheng Phaswana, an attorney since 2005, is a Senior Associate of  the “African Patents Section” of Adams & Adams, Africa’s largest intellectual property law firm with offices in four cities.

Dario Tanziani became a registered patent attorney in 1988 and specializes in patent litigation with emphasis on pharmaceutical patents. Dario is currently Firm Chairman of Adams & Adams, with special emphasis on litigation in the pharmaceutical industry.