Chola Makgamathe, chairperson of the Copyright Coalition of South Africa and Partners Against Piracy (PAP), has made a strong appeal against the rampant issue of piracy, stressing that it represents a profound crime that inadequately compensates creators and damages the entire fabric of the creative economy.
Speaking at a recent PAP panel discussion, she pointed out that while consumers may enjoy free access to pirated content, the repercussions are far-reaching, affecting not only content creators but also the countless professionals involved in bringing original work to life.
“Piracy is not a victimless hack,” Makgamathe asserted.
“It is pay cheques that never arrive, crews that are never booked and stories that never get made. If we want a thriving creative economy, three things must move together: informed consumers choosing legal platforms and calling out illegal ones, intermediaries acting swiftly on takedown requests, and modern legislation that keeps pace with digital advancements. When those pieces click, we protect jobs and preserve our culture,” she explained.
The event drew a diverse audience, featuring industry leaders from the sports, television, technology, and content publishing sectors. Moderated by Waldimar Pelser, Channel Director at MultiChoice, the panel also featured notable figures such as Janine Jellars, Shane Wafer from SuperSport, and Irdeto’s own Edward Mnisi. Together, they engaged in a candid discussion on how piracy has evolved in the digital age, highlighting alarming statistics such as the 17.1 billion visits to music piracy sites in 2023—a staggering 13.4 per cent increase from the previous year, alongside 6.5 per cent growth in music piracy overall.
It is revealed that television piracy is, however, the most significant concern, making up more than 45 per cent of all illicit online traffic. Content from films and television is frequently clipped and re-uploaded, while numerous Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) set-ups and subscription services masquerade as legitimate offerings, complicating the consumer experience.
During the discussion, the panel elucidated systemic gaps hampering the fight against piracy. Among them is the outdated legal framework in South Africa, which lacks a modern notice-and-takedown mechanism. Current legislation is ill-equipped to address the digital world's demands and the rapid dissemination enabled by artificial intelligence.
SuperSport highlighted their strategy of targeting distributors rather than individual end-users, whilst Irdeto discussed employing forensic watermarking and extensive internet trawling to trace and dismantle pirate feeds at their origins.
A significant emphasis was placed on education as a crucial element in combatting piracy, calling for enhanced awareness campaigns within schools and communities, underscoring the reality that “free” content is often the result of theft.
Participants further advocated for improved coordination among various governmental departments, Justice, Communications, Trade and Industry, Science and Innovation, and Labour – to enforce copyright protections effectively.
A notable discussion point was the responsibility shared by global platforms to act promptly on reported infringements, ensuring a collaborative effort toward safeguarding the intellectual property rights of creators.
Saturday Star