Copyright is different from other forms of intellectual property because a COPYRIGHT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE REGISTERED in South Africa & UK.
In South Africa or the UK, once the work is created in a material form the creator is instantly protected by copyright and may use the copyright © symbol. All you need to do is prove that you are the creator of the work in order to own the copyright. We suggest the following:
- Mark your work with titles, dates & times.
- Store electronic copies in a safe place.
- Keep the original works hidden in a safe place.
- Store printed copies of your work in a safe place.
- Keep record of any agreements / e-mails / invoices.
- Use the copyright © symbol when presenting your work.
Copyright lasts for 50 years from the end of the year in which the work is made available to the public with the consent of the owner of the copyright; or is first published, (whichever term is the longer) but if the work is not published within 50 years after it was taken, it will last 50 years from the end of the year in which the work was published.
Contact our copyright attorneys at Smit & Van Wyk, Inc. regarding your copyright and licensing agreements at enquiries@svw.co.za Feel free to contact us should you have any questions or require assistance with copyright licensing and infringement matters.
Contact details for Smit & Van Wyk:
Tel:
+27 (0) 12 349 7800
Fax:
+27 (0) 86 619 0493
E-mail:
enquiries@svw.co.za
Physical Address
Brooklyn Bridge Office Park
2nd Floor, Parkdev Building,
570 Fehrsen Street,
Brooklyn,
Pretoria
