This month we are pleased to welcome commercial associate Simon Pennefather to the cleaned up, revamped crew at Harty Rushmere where we emphasize true team work to support our clients. Cassandra Savides has also joined the team as a consultant. For further details on any of these stories, check out our Web site. You can…
The introduction of the .africa global top-level domain name to the online community has been a long process, but it will finally be available to the general public from 4 July 2017. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) delegated .africa to Registry Africa, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the ZA Central Registry (ZACR).…
South African residents who create intellectual property and invest offshore are in for some good news. In its 2017 Budget Review, the National Treasury has amended its exchange control policy to state that companies and individuals no longer need SARB’s approval for standard intellectual property transactions. The reviewed policy also proposes that the ‘loop structure’…
While the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) may take up to two years to be fully implemented, responsible businesses should take steps now to ensure compliance. The act will shift how businesses process and regulate customer information on an integral level. At its first public briefing on 13 February 2017, Pansy Tlakula, the Information…
The Amended B-BBEE ICT Sector Code was recently launched by Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services, Siyabonga Cwele. The code promises to address past inequality through championing the participation of the previously disadvantaged within the ICT sector. Cwele also took the opportunity to launch the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment ICT Sector Council, which was established…
Former IEC Chairperson Pansy Tlakula has nominated by the National Assembly as South Africa’s Information Regulator. This newly established role is responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance, as well as handling complaints related to the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI). Advocates Lebogang Cordelia Stroom and Johannes Collen Weapond join him as full time members,…
In the interests of championing consumer rights, the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa (ASA) has approached the National Consumer Commission (“NCC”) with a proposed industry code called the Advertising and Marketing Industry Code of Practice (“the Industry Code”). The Industry Code was published for public comment in the Government Gazette of 26 July 2016,…
The South African government has taken steps towards approving the controversial Integrated ICT Policy White Paper. This paper is set to replace two separate historic white papers on Telecommunication (1996) and Postal Services (1998). This development has received a lukewarm reception within the industry. The ICT policy has been eagerly anticipated, as it promises to…
The Film and Publication Board’s final draft of its Online Regulation Policy retains some problematic elements, but is a significant improvement on its previous version. This final version, revised with the help of Norton Rose Attorneys, was submitted to the Minister of Communications for approval and publication in the Government Gazette. The policy comprises four…
The final Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Regulations in terms of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act (BEE Act) are set to regulate the administration and implementation of the Act and the functions of the B-BBEE Commission as a whole. The Minister of Trade and Industry published the Regulations in the Government Gazette on 6 June…
