SA piracy below average

Johannesburg, 08 Jul 2004

The Business Software Alliance (BSA) says SA has a software piracy rate of 36%, below the 41% average of other countries in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.

Stephan le Roux, who was recently appointed chairman of the BSA in SA and works for Symantec, says the IDC 2003 Global Piracy Study conducted for the BSA shows that software piracy costs the EMEA region $12.4 billion annually.

"SA`s software piracy rate is estimated at 36% in 2003, representing a $146.8 million loss in revenue to the local economy."

Le Roux says this year`s study incorporates major software market segments, including operating systems, consumer software and local market software. "The inclusion of these new categories paints a broader, more accurate picture of the software piracy problem."

For every R1 of software sold in SA, an additional R3 is spent on local services, distribution and supply companies, demonstrating that local economies have much to gain from a reduction in piracy, he says.

In response to the study, the BSA has announced five objectives it hopes to achieve in the fight to reduce software piracy.

These include a respect for intellectual property, an increase in confidence to encourage continued investment in the country, increased awareness of the implications of piracy, encouraging effective and speedy implementations of policies and laws, and more appreciation of software as a fundamental business asset.

"My priority as new chairman of the BSA is to ensure all software users and government agencies understand the BSA`s role and support our fight against piracy. Real improvements can only be effected by significant changes in the legislative environment and public support, at all levels, for intellectual property and creative industries," Le Roux says.

The BSA aims to achieve this by launching programmes in schools, universities and businesses, which it hopes to run in conjunction with partners like the Department of Trade and Industry and the SA Chamber of Business, he says.