Indigenous Knowledge Systems of South Africa Trust (IKSSA)

Abstract

The thrust of the paper is intrinsically twofold: Firstly, it posits that all knowledge, whether at the formative stages of creation or the stage of ownership, is a tenet of socio-economic power, and that indigenous knowledge systems invariably address, even somewhat obliquely, a facet of that power play. The paper therefore raises the sensitivity of intellectual protection of such knowledge if the model preferred is that of conventional individually focused regimes. Secondly, the paper highlights some of the perceived weaknesses in relying on the current models of intellectual property protection, where they are sought to be applied to specific areas of indigenous knowledge systems.