Hon Chairperson and members, on the 26 March, the Select Committee on Trade and International Relations considered four treaties. We are presenting to this House with your permission, three of them. The fourth one was the Marrakesh Agreement that we are not presenting here but we are merely noting it. Chairperson, I am glad to share with you that all nine members of the select committee, voted in favour of all three treaties that we will deal with individually.
It is therefore my honour and privilege, particularly in the presence of our young people from Elsies River and our masters students from University of Western Cape to present these treaties because it indicates what we as your servants in this Parliament are doing in order to ensure that your future can be better, particularly within the space of technology.
The treaties make provisions for the recognition and moral, economic rights as well as digital and technological advancements. The accession or ratification to these international treaties, are long overdue. This
step that we are taking as this House today is a big achievement for our performers, our authors and other rights holders in South Africa. The treaties will provide protection against economic exploitation for the creative. The treaties will also contribute towards a dynamic and thriving creative industry in South Africa - our country.
The treaties go hand in hand with the Copyright Amendment Bill and the Performers Protection Amendment Bill that we will present to this House later on. The WIPO Copyright Treaty is a special agreement that deals with the protection of works as well as the protection of authors, specifically within the digital platform. The World Copyright Treaty, WCT is in the best interest of South Africa, as it ensures that South African Copyright Law will keep pace with technological change thus affording important protection against piracy, protection that benefits rights holders in the areas of computer programmes and databases. The World Copyright Treaty, WTC grants authors the rights of distribution.
Our students of University of Western Cape when you right and distribute your thesis and your material, this allows you a right internationally so that your work is not exploited. The right also, is granted to rental of copyright material and a broader right of communication to the public. We know as a country how important communication is and knowledge that facilitate such communication.
Chairperson, it is therefore my singular honour on behalf of the select committee to present the World Copyright Treaty to this House for accession. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
Question put: That the Report be adopted.
IN FAVOUR: Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape.
Report accordingly adopted in accordance of section 65 of the Constitution.