SECTION27 has been admitted as amicus curiae in the Constitutional Court, in the matter of Endangered Wildlife Trust and Another v Acting Director General, Department of Water and Sanitation and Another. The matter is set down for hearing on 10 September 2026. SECTION27 acts in its own interest to assist the court with Continue Reading
On Friday, 26 June 2026, the Constitutional Court handed down judgment in Ex parte President of the Republic of South Africa: In re Constitutionality of the Copyright Amendment Bill (CAB) and the Performers’ Protection Amendment Bill (PPAB). The case follows the President’s decision to refer the CAB and the PPAB to the Constitutional Court in terms of section 79 (4) of the Constitution, because he Continue Reading
19 May 2025, Johannesburg – On 21 May 2025 civil society organisations Blind SA, SECTION27, Recreate SA, the South African Democratic Teachers Union (“SADTU”), the South African Guild of Actors (“SAGA”), the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA), Right 2 Know, Wikimedia South Africa and more will picket Continue Reading
8 May 2025, Johannesburg – SECTION27 welcomes the Constitutional Court’s unanimous order handed down yesterday in Blind SA v President of the Republic of South Africa, declaring that section 19D of the Copyright Amendment Bill (“CAB”) be read into the Copyright Act 97 of 1978 with immediate effect until the Continue Reading
On 13 December 2024, the Constitutional Court handed down an interim order in the matter Blind SA v President of the Republic of South Africa. The Court temporarily amends the Copyright Act 98 of 1978 to include an exception to copyright for persons who are blind and visually impaired, pending Continue Reading
On Thursday, 28 November 2024, the Constitutional Court will urgently hear Blind SA’s case, requesting that exceptions to copyright that were previously read into the Copyright Act, be resuscitated. These exceptions would allow persons who are blind and visually impaired to convert books into formats, like braille, without the consent Continue Reading
Today, the Constitutional Court has released directions for the cases of Blind SA v President of the Republic of South Africa and Ex Parte President of the Republic of South Africa, which provide instructions to all parties on the processes that now need to be followed. The Court has consolidated Continue Reading
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT JUDGMENT ON COPYRIGHT ACT A MOMENTOUS VICTORY FOR PERSONS WHO ARE BLIND AND THEIR ACCESS TO BOOKS BLIND SA and SECTION27 celebrate historical judgment, which finds the Copyright Act unconstitutional for unfairly discriminating against persons with visual disabilities, ending the Book Famine! 21 September 2022, Johannesburg – BLIND Continue Reading
MEDIA ADVISORY: CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TO DELIVER JUDGMENT IN BLIND SA CASE ABOUT COPYRIGHT ON WEDNESDAY 21 SEPT 2022 Constitutional Court to determine whether Copyright Act is unconstitutional for violating the rights of persons with visual disabilities. 20 September 2022, Johannesburg — The Constitutional Court will tomorrow deliver judgment in the Continue Reading
MEDIA ADVISORY: ACTIVISTS TO MARCH TO CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TO #ENDTHEBOOKFAMINE FOR PERSONS WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED 12 MAY 2022 Constitutional Court will hear case about access to books for persons who are blind, activists to march in support of watershed case. 9 May 2022, Johannesburg – Activists will Continue Reading
BLIND SA AND SECTION27 TO TACKLE ‘UNCONSTITUTIONAL’ COPYRIGHT ACT AT CONSTITUTIONAL COURT ON 12 MAY 2022 On World Book/Copyright Day, activists urge Constitutional Court to confirm that Copyright Act is unconstitutional for limiting access to books in accessible formats for persons with visual disabilities. 20 April 2022, Johannesburg – BLIND Continue Reading
BLIND SA and SECTION27 have filed papers with the Constitutional Court to ask the Court to confirm the Copyright Act of 1978 as unconstitutional for violating the rights of persons who are blind or visually disabled.
