A South African patent may be granted for an invention that is:
- New
- Inventive
- Useful
You cannot register a patent for: anything which consists of a discovery; a scientific theory; a mathematical method; a literary; dramatic, musical or artistic work; or any aesthetic creation; a scheme, rule, or method for performing a mental act; playing a game, or doing business; a program for a computer; or the presentation of information.
For more information on intellectual property, visit the website of the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission.