Patent
South Africa is a member of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). The deadline for entering the national phase via the PCT is 31 months. A simply signed power of attorney must be submitted. For a product still under development in South Africa, a provisional patent application providing 12 months of protection can be filed. An opposition can be filed within 3 months after the invention is published. Patent protection lasts 20 years. From the 3rd year onward, annuities must be paid on the month and day corresponding to the filing date.