Theme: indigenous_knowledge
Responsible: DSI / dtic / DALRRD / CIPC
Medium. Rooibos case provides a working model. Legislative bottleneck is the unpassed Traditional Knowledge Bill. DSI and dtic coordination and CIPC capacity are needed.
South Africa is signatory to the CBD and Nagoya Protocol, requiring formal access and benefit-sharing (ABS) frameworks for commercialising indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) in biodiversity products and traditional medicine. The IP Laws Amendment Act (2013) created an IKS database through CIPC, but implementation has been slow. The rooibos ABS agreement (2019), which secured R1.5 million in annual payments to San and Khoikhoi communities, provides a working model. The Hoodia cactus case illustrated biopiracy risks where SA failed to protect community interests. The DSI's revised IKS Policy (2023) needs legislative backing through the Traditional Knowledge Bill, in draft since 2017. Parliamentary Committee on Trade and Industry BRRRs noted the backlog of IKS protection cases and the absence of a funded NIPMO-equivalent for traditional knowledge management.
EV White Paper — Managed Automotive Transition
Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP Phase 2) Enhancement
AGOA Retention and Post-AGOA Trade Diversification
Critical Minerals Beneficiation Strategy
AfCFTA Implementation and Intra-African Trade Expansion
BBBEE Equity Equivalent Investment Programme (EEIP) Expansion
How to cite
Wilse-Samson, L. (2026). Indigenous Knowledge Systems IP and Commercialisation Framework. SA Policy Space. NYU Wagner School of Public Policy. Retrieved 11 May 2026, from https://sa-policy-space.vercel.app/ideas/indigenous-knowledge-systems-ip-and-commercialisation-framework?snapshot=2026-05-11
Data as of 2026-05-11 · latest PMG meeting 2026-05-08