BY MBONGENI NDLELA
MBABANE – Thoughts and ideas are some of the most personal creations we can have and their protection is profitable for humanity. Creative minds and inventors in the country finally have a body in which they can associate to make the protection and profitability of their valuable creations a priority. This comes after the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo recently launched a Copyright Society and the Copyright Society Board.
Speaking during the launch, Minister Khumalo said “The Copyright Society Board has been created to look into the economic exploitation & commercialisation of the rights of creators of copyright content. The Board has a duty towards the interests of copyright creators.”
The Board is chaired by Creative Director Samkeliso Nxumalo. Among other things, the Board will determine payable copyright rates and tariffs, grant copyright licences and ensure the collection and distribution of royalties to appropriate rights owners. The Board will also put in place a Secretariat for the day-to-day administration of Society affairs.
Other members of the Copyright Society Board are Mluleki Sakhile Dlamini, Nobuhle Matsebula, Tiyamike Maziya, Mxolisi Vilakati, Mxolisi Radebe, Madoda Mdziniso, Phinda Nkosi and Annelisa Stoffels.
Speaking during the launch, Board Chair Samkeliso Nxumalo said “It is humbling and also a significant responsibility truly because we understand the plight of the artists that have been waiting for this particular initiative. We have seen many copyright owners that have ended up leaving the industry for employment in other arenas because they have struggled to generate income within the creative sector. So the advent of this Society is quite relevant and opportune; it is needed.”
Reiterating the Chairperson’s sentiments, Minister Khumalo said “Creating a statutory body that will look into the dimension of the economic exploitation and management of copyright and professionalising this sector could not have come at a better time.”
