COMPANIES AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY COMMISSION HAS NO OFFICIAL AGENTS OR INTERMEDIARIES - MINISTER DAVIES

COMPANIES AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY COMMISSION HAS NO OFFICIAL AGENTS OR INTERMEDIARIES - MINISTER DAVIES

 By BRIAN KAJENGO

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies has told the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry that the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) has no official agents or intermediaries and officials who collaborate with them will be dealt with.

Davies’ statement to the Portfolio Committee follows a claim by some committee members that they confronted during their visit to the CIPC, by the supposed intermediaries who said that they could, for a fee, have an inside track into the CIPC and ensure that their registration was fast-tracked. Minister Davies indicated that the matter investigated, including the possibility that there have connections in the CIPC.

Minister Davies has conceded that he was aware that around the dti campus, but not in the campus any longer, there are numerous intermediaries and agents whose interest is to persuade members of the public that the only way to register a company in South Africa is to pay a fee to them.  He has urged the public not to use them as they officially and legally recognised by the CIPC.

“These intermediaries and agents are quite sophisticated and they are in possession of ICT equipment and shelf companies that they offer to members of the public at a fee. Our message to members of the public is that it is not necessary or desirable to go to those people as we have thrown them off the dti campus. They may continue to be in the vicinity but they are not recognised,” said Davies

Minister Davies also highlighted that the CIPC has done a lot of improvements in relation to registering companies.

“We have simplified the forms for application, reduced the number of requirements, and we have more than one point of registration with the self service centre in Sunny Park, and the various FNB branches across the country. CIPC intends rolling out the self service centres in various areas across the country to increase accessibility. I have been to the self service centre myself and saw a person transacting in 20 to 30 minutes. So you don't need the intermediary,” he added.

Minister Davies promised that the law will take its cause against any employee who takes a fee and cooperates with intermediaries and agents. He also called on anybody who has information about employees who are involved in such activities to report them as CIPC has taken a zero tolerance stance against fraud and corruption, and employees found guilty of fraudulent practices will face the consequences.