CIPC Annual Report V1

1. Situational analysis Despite the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, the CIPC performed well, achieving 100% of its APP targets. For the first time, its Customer and Stakeholder Score was at 80% showing that the CIPC’s efforts to improve customer experience and solidify its position as a reputable regulator has borne fruit. 1.1 Service delivery Environment The growth recorded in the third and fourth quarters of 2020 was not enough to offset the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in the second quarter when lockdown restrictions were at their most stringent. Economic activity for the entire year decreased by 7% in 2020 compared with 2019.

This section shows the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on demand for the CIPC’s services, on the CIPC’s compliance and enforcement activities, as well on the traffic in the CIPC’s customer contract channels. Finally, the CIPC’s strategies, which led to the CIPC’s success during the year under review, are described, and the results of these strategies are presented. 1.1.1 Applications, registrations and amendments The volumes of applications, registrations and amendments process indicate the demand for the CIPC services. Table B.1: The CIPC’s key services – volumes hereunder reflecting the volumes processed over the past five years.

Table B. 1: The CIPC’s key services – volumes CIPC services

2016/2017 2017/2018 2018/2019 2019/2020 2020/21

Patents applications Designs applications

9027 2085

8 545 2018

8587 2002

8 455 1 867

8 445 1 653

Copyright in film applications Trade marks applications

57

61

99

55

26

38 169

38 283

39 136

38 148

39 317

Name reservations

Not reported Not reported Not reported Not reported 505 198

Companies registrations

378 435

386 373

395 320

385 181

510 024 (includes external companies registered)

Co-operatives registrations Director amendments Member amendments

12 424 51 435 45916 58880 12 424

12 748 72 312 40412 54242 12 748

12 270 71711 36087 56384 12 270

12 478

6 142

5588

167 415 25 273 93 204

31803 53434 12 478

Auditor changes

Company name changes

6142

Company financial year end changes

Not reported Not reported Not reported Not reported 5 744

Business rescue proceedings Commenced (Active cases)

375

362

349

369

335

BBBEE certificates

Not reported Not reported Not reported Not reported 249 207

Figure B. 1: Patent-filing trends

Patents

Of the 8 455 patent filings, 2 042 were local filings and 6 403 foreign filings. There has been a decline in patent filings since 2016/17 (from 9 027 filed patent applications) to 2020/21 (8 445 filed patent applications), as shown in Figure B.1: Patent-filing trends . However, the period between 2019/20 (8455 patent filings) and 2020/21 (8 445 patent filings) shows a slight decline in numbers, this means that the CIPC actually performed well in the last financial year amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

PATENT FILLING TRENDS 2016/17 TO 2020/21

9100 9000 8900 8800 8700 8600 8500 8400 8300 8200 8100

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

COMPANIES AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY COMMISSION I Annual Report 2020/21

22