We are pleased to invite you to an important panel discussion on the Copyright Amendment Bill (CAB) currently before Parliament, and its potential impact on the creative industries. The Bill is about to be finalised and has sparked fierce debate, with both support and opposition across the industry. Here’s your chance to hear from experts on both sides of the argument about how the proposed changes would reshape copyright law and influence innovation. Whether you are a writer, photographer, graphic designer or content creator, this conversation is important to understand the future of copyright in the digital age.
THERE ARE ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT IN WHICH TO REGISTER! DON’T MISS OUT!
Read about our distinguished panellists below.
Our facilitator for the discussion will be Alexis Grewan. Read more about her here:
PANELLISTS’ BIOS
Adrian Galley
Adrian served for a time on Safrea’s Exco and is the current vice-chair of the South African Guild of Actors.
He has toiled in the freelance trenches as an actor, scriptwriter, journalist and broadcaster. A spoken-word specialist, he runs an audio studio from which he serves a client base in South Africa and abroad as a voice-artist, audiobook narrator and podcast producer.
His stints as a news anchor and radio producer date from the mid-1980s, beginning with Radio RSA, Channel Africa and graduating through SAfm to 702 and Cape Talk. In television he was the familiar ‘voice’ of eTV for the first decade and-a-half of its existence. He has also written several award-winning television comedies, including Going Up, Suburban Bliss and SOS.
With master’s degree in Drama from the University of Cape Town, he recently completed an LLB, with media law and Intellectual Property Law as his primary fields of interest.
Chola Makgamathe
Makgamathe currently serves as chairperson of the Copyright Coalition of South Africa, an organisation that advocates for equitable Copyright legislation and which is also the South African chapter of the Partners Against Piracy, an initiative that champions the fight against piracy of creative content.
She attended Wits University in Johannesburg, where she graduated with BCom, LLB and LLM degrees. Later, Makgamathe worked as a consultant and managed projects involving multilateral organisations, provincial governments, and local governments. She is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa and has worked at 2 of the top law firms in South Africa.
She was the CEO of Downtown Music Hub, a non-profit organisation that was established by the Department of Arts and Culture to address some of the challenges in the South African music sector. Currently, she works for the Southern African Music Rights Organisation and heads the legal department of the organisation.
Diana Neille
Diana is an award-winning South African investigative journalist, filmmaker and documentarian, known for her in-depth work on issues of corporate and political corruption, social justice, and coverage of the local music sector. Her recent work on systemic corruption and intermediary impunity in the South African music industry garnered recognition at the International News Media Awards. With a background in journalism, Neille tackles complex narratives often overlooked by mainstream media. She is a lapsed professional singer and violinist.
Christiaan Steyn
Christiaan is a specialist in Intellectual Property Law, focusing on Trade Marks, Copyright, and Domain Disputes. He is the Founder and Managing Director of STEYN IP, a law firm focused on these areas. With experience at top law firms and in managing IP portfolios at Sasol Technology, Christiaan has also held a key legal role at the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition’s CIPC Trade Marks Office.
An LLB graduate from North-West University, he is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa. Christiaan is actively involved in the IP community, serving as a Senior Domain Dispute Adjudicator and participating in various committees within the South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (SAIIPL) and IPIRA. He also co-founded FAME.org.za, a non-profit supporting South African musicians, and co-authored a book on copyright reform.
Passionate about advancing IP law, Christiaan is committed to shaping legal frameworks for the creative industries in South Africa.
This event is free for all to attend.
