Press Releases

 

Crime Sucks  !!!

SAFACT recently launched a multi-million rand public awareness campaign which includes a new website crimesucks.co.za. The campaign which consists of 2 television commercial which will be shown 200 times and 3 radio commercials which will be aired 500 times during the festive season appeals to public not to support pirated DVD's and games. The message is "Stop Piracy  Stop Crime".

There also billboards, stickers and leaflets being distributed throughout the country. We believe in the inherrent honesty of all South Africans and hope that the message will be taken seriously by all honest citizens.

Click on pictures below to hear radio ads (windows media player required)

                       

  

Games Pirate gets jail sentence

 

The Van der Bijl Park magistrates court has today jailed a man caught selling counterfeit computer games, in a move hailed by the anti-piracy lobby in South Africa.

 

Pierre Smuts, a repeat offender, was jailed for 18 months after being caught in February this year with 264 counterfeit Playstation games at the Van der Bijl Park flea market.

 

The magistrate conditionally suspended his jail sentence for five years, placing Smuts instead under house arrest for two years. He may only leave home for work purposes, to attend church, to carry out community service and to shop as prescribed by the Department. of Correctional  Services.

 

Further, Smuts was sentenced to perform 16 hours community service per month during the two years he is under house arrest.

 

He was also ordered to undergo therapy, and is not allowed to move home without informing the authorities.

 

Mr Roger le Comber, chairman of the SA Federation against Copyright Theft, which represents sections of the entertainment industry, welcomed the sentence. “It’s high time South Africa realised that piracy of music, film and games is nothing but theft. It is a criminal activity.”

 

Le Comber warned that most of the CDs, DVDs, videos and games sold in flea markets and at street corners were pirated copies. “We appeal to the public not to support crime by buying such goods.”

 

Piracy is becoming  a massive problem in South Africa, with DVD piracy costing the SA film industry US$30-million (R200-million) last year alone.

 

You can contact SAFACT at 011 886 3824 or on the hotline number 086 22 55 050

                        
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You pass them daily on all major routes, spot them in flea markets and on occasion you are offered a handful of cut-price DVD’s at traffic lights.
 

Piracy is fast eroding not only the South African, but also the international entertainment industry. As in the rest of the world, the changes in technology have had a major impact on piracy levels in South Africa. Two years ago piracy was confirmed to VHS product, which was very well controlled, due to the strong video rental industry that existed at the time. Piracy was restricted to a few informal traders or home operators. The changes in technology from VHS format to DVD or optical format has really facilitated for a change in piracy levels across the country. Crime syndicates are becoming increasingly well organized.

 It is no secret that the “Mafia” type syndicates find fraudulent ways in which to import goods and therefore have price advantages encouraging the unaware SA public to support this illegal trade. Not only does this affect the government revenue by ways of taxes and import duties, but also has a detrimental effect on the revenue stream and job creation of the entertainment industry and all industries tied to this.

 

SAFACT – SOUTHERN AFRICAN FEDERATION AGAINIST COPYRIGHT THEFT

 

Recently launched a massive anti-piracy campaign through which large quantities of titles are being confiscated at raids, indicating the rapid growth of the pirate market.

These confiscated and pirated products had already been through legal process, civil and criminal courts proceedings during which a number of successful prosecutions have taken place whereby offenders have been jailed or hefty fines levied. Currently thousands of pirated discs are being help at SAFACT whilst legal proceedings are underway or offenders pending trail in the next few months.

 

“ All the goods destroyed were confiscated in terms of and in accordance with the provisions of the counterfeit goods act no.37 of 1997, which legislation has proven to be practical and of great assistance and value to rights holders directly and indirectly to the consumers and economy of South Africa” Corne Guldenpfennig, Attorney, Spoor & Fisher

 

“South Africa is infested with illegal and pirated product, being sold off as inexpensive version of the real thing. Not only is purchasing this product funding criminals, but by buying illegal DVD’s denies the legitimate copyright holders of an income. It amounts to millions of dollars annually” - Fred Potgieter, Managing Director of SAFACT (association not for gain)

 

POINTS AGAINST PIRACY 

Piracy funds organized crime and will destroy our film and video industry.
Piracy costs jobs and will destroy our music and publishing industry
Piracy funds terrorism and will destroy our development and your future enjoyment.

SAFACT asks you the public, if you have any knowledge of manufacture or sale of counterfeit film or video product or related software. Please call our

Hotline 086 22 55 050

 

Mechanics of the line:

 When the customer phones in, to report an illegal DVD or CD stand, whether on a side of the road or at a flea market. The reporting will be recorded by SAFACT who will then take the correct and legal procedures in confiscating or prisoning the criminals. If the caller chooses to leave their details, they will stand a chance of winning a hamper full of entertainment products.

 

NB:   Please note that SAFACT has a certain procedure in which they operate, as this is the legally correct process, so please inform the public as not to report and sit and wait for the raid. But each and every call made, can make a difference. So lets put a stop to the rip off’s.

Your support can end the distribution of poor quality product. Don’t let the pirates burn a hole in your pocket.

LAW SWOOPS ON COUNTERFEITERS

 

The Commercial Crime Unit of the SA Police Services, assisted by the SA Federation Against Copyright Theft, had seized 40 DVD counterfeit videos and 21 VCD films from two vendors during a raid at Hatfield Flea Market in Pretoria at the weekend, Fred Potgieter of SAFACT said yesterday.


SONY PHONIES WORTH R330 000 SEIZED

Pretoria – A total of 1 100 Sony PlayStation computer games valued at R330 000 were confiscated last week from a vendor as part of an anti-counterfeiting drive by customs at Johannesburg International Airport and the SA Federation Against Copyright Theft (SAFACT), said Fred Potgieter, SAFACT’s managing director. He said the PlayStation games were traced to a video outlet in Kimberley and SAFACT was seeking legal advice on whether to proceed with litigation. The damages sought were expected to be at least R300 000.

“Customs at Johannesburg International Airport is becoming extremely proactive and vigilant in their attempts, together with SAFACT, to stamp out counterfeit goods entering this country,” Potgieter said. “The counterfeiting of CD-ROMs, Sony PlayStation games and motion pictures… is costing the industry more than R273 million every year, with most of the pirated CD-ROMs emanating from the Far East. “There is literally an avalanche of counterfeit Sony PlayStation games entering the country at the moment.”


Last month raids at Johannesburg airport netted more than 6 000 games, while another 1 734 counterfeit PlayStation games with a retail value of R600 000 were seized at the Horizon View Shopping Centre in Roodepoort.

FAKE PLAYSTATION VENDOR SUED
THE SA Federation Against Copyright Theft (SAFACT) is to sue a computer games vendor for R500 000 following the seizure of 1 734 counterfeit PlayStation games. The group said in a statement on Tuesday the games, which apparently held a retail value of R600 000, were seized in a raid on a shopping centre in Roodepoort on July 27.

SAFACT managing director Fred Potgieter said the defendant had 10 days to react to the summons. The raid was the first conducted in conjunction with the department of trade and industry’s newly appointed anti-counterfeit inspectors, he said. The appointment of the inspectors follows changes to the Counterfeit Goods Act, which gave authorities more legal power in the battle against software pirates.

Trade and Industry spokesman Edwin Smith told Sapa the act enabled the minister to appoint inspectors and to institute either criminal or civil proceedings. Trade and Industry Minister Alec Erwin had thus far appointed 20 inspectors to help in the fight against piracy and counterfeit goods trading, he said.


POLICE RAID EAST RAND FLEA MARKET
Pretoria – Allegedly counterfeit Microsoft games plus 3 000 DVD and VCD films as well as Sony PlayStation games, all believed to be worth about R1 million, had been seized in a police raid on the East Rand Traders’ Square flea market in Boksburg North.

Mark Reynolds, the head of Microsoft South Africa’s anti-piracy and legalisation drive, said eight stores were raided after ongoing investigation by Microsoft and the South African Federation Against Copyright Theft. No one was charged. 

“The case is open for investigation and, depending on the outcome, individuals will be charged,” Reynolds said.