Copyrights for the blind fight forges ahead

BlindSA is leading a march to the Union Building demanding that President Cyril Ramaphosa ratify the Copy Write Amendment Act that will allow them to convert books into brail or other accessible formats without the consent of the publishing houses. Ntshavheni Netshituni, president of BlindSA, says their demands are two fold. First they want to Copy Write Amendment Act discussed and adopted at the first parliamentary session next year and secondly they want South Africa to ratify the Marrakesh treaty. The Treaty makes the production and international transfer of specially-adapted books for people with blindness or visual impairments easier. It does this by establishing a set of limitations and exceptions to traditional copyright law. Netshituni, says the Copy Write Amendment Act will also allow print disabled people to convert books, handbooks and learning material without the permission of the publishing houses to give them access to the material. Netshinutni says they have been trying to get the Amended Bill passed for 7 years now. We spoke to our very own colleague Rhulani Baloyi...