The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Thandi Tobias-Pokolo today announced the appointment of a Copyright Review Commission (CRC) during a media briefing in Parliament. Retired Supreme Court of Appeal Judge, Honourable Judge Ian Farlam, will be the Chairperson of CRC which will investigate allegations around the improper distribution of royalties.
Other members will be Professor Musa Khulekani Xulu, academic in the music field, Dr Jean Swanson-Jacobs, Policy Analyst and Performance, Mr Nala Mhlongo, Chartered Accountant, Professor Tana Pistorius, intellectual property lecturer at the University of South Africa, and Mr Oupa Lebogo, secretary of the Creative Workers Union of South Africa.
The CRC will investigate issues raised by artists in the Presidential Sector meeting held in November last year, as well as in a stakeholder meeting that Deputy Minister Tobias-Pokolo held in April this year.
“The establishment of the CRC follows a series of complaints by musicians and artists that royalties emanating from their performances and intellectual property do not reach their intended destination. We as the dti have decided that these allegations should be dealt with sufficiently to the satisfaction of all role players in the industry, hence the setting up of a commission to deal with them and all related matters,” said Deputy Minister Tobias-Pokolo.
She added that she was confident that the CRC would do a sterling job and come up with findings and recommendations that would lead to the resolution of concerns raised in relation to collecting societies fairly and effectively.
“I hope the findings and recommendations will also result in the improvement of the lives of artists and to the systemic economic growth of the industry and the economy as a whole,” she said.
The CRC work begins in January 2011 and end in June 2011, and will include public hearings, research and benchmark studies.
The CRC terms of reference include assessing the effectiveness of the needle-time monitoring by collecting societies, relationship of collecting societies in South Africa to determine the extent and access in royalties from public and private broadcasters, and how the distribution to artists is done.
Terms of Reference for Copyright Review Commission
Enquiries:
Sidwell Moloantoa Medupe
Tel: 012 394 1750
Cell: 073 522 6801
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
