Die bestuur van PEN Afrikaans verwelkom president Cyril Ramaphosa se besluit om nie die Wysigingswetsontwerp op Outeursreg in sy huidige vorm te onderteken nie, maar dit na die Konstitusionele Hof te verwys om die grondwetlikheid daarvan te bepaal.
Copyright Amendment Bill
President considering whether to assent to the Copyright and Performers Protection Amendment Bills seemingly undisturbed by public outcry and politicking
Joint statement on the adoption by the National Assembly of the Copyright Amendment Bill, no B13F of 2017 We, authors associations PEN South Africa, PEN Afrikaans, and the Academic and Non-Fiction Authors Association of South Africa (ANFASA), and the Publishers Association of South Africa (PASA), regret the outcome of yesterday’s […]Read more »
Die bestuur van PEN Afrikaans betreur die uitkoms van vanmiddag se byeenkoms van die Nasionale Vergadering waartydens die opspraakwekkende Wysigingswetsontwerp op Outeursreg opnuut met die meerderheidstem van die regerende party aanvaar is – ondanks besware van opposisiepartye en grootskaalse teenkanting uit die skeppende bedrywe.
Ons doen ’n dringende beroep op ons lede en ondersteuners om die petisie te onderteken. Skrywers verdien beter as die verreikende verswakking van outeursregbeskerming wat in die Wysigingswetsontwerp op Outeursreg vervat is.
The Bills are scheduled for concurrence by the National Assembly on 29 February. With the Portfolio Committee having recommended it in its report, concurrence should be a formality, notwithstanding passionate and disapproving statements that can be expected from opposition MPs during the debate. With only ten days to go, it seems that only a bout of Leap Year Madness could change the plan.
PEN Afrikaans welcomes the revision of the Copyright Act but implores the legislature to consider the impact of the proposed provisions on the creative industries that authors are dependent on. It is our opinion that the Bill, as it stands, does not pass muster on constitutional compliance, legal certainty, and on truly protecting and enhancing the interests of authors whose livelihood depends on the ability to commercialise their work.