Current Copyright Act a deterrent – Blind South Africa president
Blind South Africa president Ntshavheni Netshituni said on Friday that in the current Copyright Act of 1978, exceptions for production of reading materials is a deterrent to the blind community.
To date, people in the blind community are having to request publishers to produce books in alternative formats, which is sometimes not permitted.
Netshituni said fewer than 0.5% of published works in South Africa are said to be in accessible formats for the blind.
Speaking on World Book and Copyright Day, during a webinar organised by SECTION27 and Blind SA, Netshituni said producing books in alternative formats is not ideal as it depends on the publisher’s will to either grant or decline the permission. He said sometimes refusal is done arbitrarily.
“The worst is that a blind or partially sighted person may have to suffer double jeopardy because they have to pay twice for the material…,” he explained.
He said blind and partially sighted people are denied their constitutional right to equality which is protected in the Constitution of South Africa.
Furthermore, he pointed out that South Africa is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, saying that continuing to apply the Act in its current form violates the constitutional provisions.
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