It is my privilege to present this report on behalf of the Executive of the South African Booksellers Association, reflecting on the activities, achievements, challenges, and opportunities that have shaped the past twelve months since our 2025 Annual General Meeting.

The year under review has been one of engagement, advocacy, partnership, and strategic reflection. Against a backdrop of ongoing economic pressures, technological change, shifting consumer behavior, and important public policy developments affecting the book sector, SABA has remained steadfast in representing the interests of South African booksellers and ensuring that books continue to reach communities across our country.

Advocacy and Public Policy Engagement

One of SABA’s most significant contributions during the year was our participation in consultations surrounding the proposed National Book Policy. As booksellers occupy a unique position between publishers and readers, we sought to ensure that the realities of book distribution, retail sustainability, access to reading materials, and market development were adequately reflected in policy discussions.

Our submissions and engagements highlighted the critical importance of maintaining a healthy and competitive book ecosystem that serves educational, cultural, commercial, and developmental objectives. SABA continues to advocate for policies that encourage reading, increase access to books, strengthen the value chain, and create opportunities for businesses of all sizes. We emphasized that world-wide, a public/private approach with respect to commercial viability of the Sector works best for maximum mass market participation. Subsidized book purchases for local languages into libraries as well as ring-fenced student book allowances work well to increase economic participation, creating jobs and improving overall living standards.

In the area of legislative advocacy, SABA continued to monitor developments relating to the Copyright Act 98 of 1978, the proposed Copyright Amendment Bill, and the associated Performers’ Protection Amendment Bill.

Exactly a month before, I received a fabulous birthday gift from The ConCourt! TheConstitutional Court’s judgment in Ex Parte President of the Republic of South Africa: In re Constitutionality of the Copyright Amendment Bill and the Performers’ Protection Amendment Bill represented one of the most significant developments affecting the South African book value chain in recent years. The CAB would allow for books to be copied without permission or sale in very common circumstances beyond the control of any practicalbusiness. Thankfully, the majority judgement took into consideration the President’s reservations on the fair use exceptions in provisions with reference to the Public good such as for libraries, personal copies, for visually impaired persons and such. The majority judgment ultimately upheld fair use as opposed to fair dealing. The ConCourt found most of the referred provisions to be constitutional, while finding certain education-related exceptions constitutionally deficient and requiring further parliamentary consideration. [concourt.org.za], [section27.org.za]

Subsections 12D (1)– (5) of the CAB allowing broad wholesale copying for educational institutions were declared unconstitutional and an arbitrary deprivation of private property. Since private higher education would have an inordinate gain, this was a good call. The dissenting judge ironically referred to a report commissioned by our colleagues at thePublisher’s Association of South Africa wherein it was argued that the CAB would not deprive authors of their livelihoods because the income received from textbooks is not significant to sustain them. Ouch!

In the final analysis, I was pleased to note that both majority and dissenting judges agreed that the State cannot use the CAB as a means to lower the costs of Education by sacrificing authors, publishers and us Booksellers! Funding education is the State’s responsibility; it is unjust that we would be made to lose sales for the sake of the National budget’s 2 largest expense items whilst we simultaneously provide an essential taxable product and service to citizens. It therefore behooves the relevant officials to ensure funding institutions such as NSFAS are adequately capacitated to function effectively. However, narrower academic uses in 12D (6)– (9) (like student assignments or theses) were upheld. [1, 2]

For booksellers, publishers and authors alike, the judgment provided important guidance regarding the balancing of constitutional rights under Section 25 of the Constitution, access to knowledge, educational imperatives, and the protection of intellectual property rights. SABA will continue to engage with our partners across the sector as Parliament addresses the outstanding matters arising from the Court’s ruling. [concourt.org.za], [section27.org.za]

Our Association remains committed to supporting a copyright framework that encourages creativity, rewards authors and publishers fairly, protects investment in local publishing, and sustainable access to educational and cultural materials whilst ensuring the incremental contribution of the Book sector to the economy through (majority Women and Youth) job creation, skills transfer and exports.

Concern Regarding the Abuse of NSFAS Funding

The SA Booksellers Association remains deeply concerned by reports regarding the misuse of National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding at several higher education institutions.

Many students continue to face barriers to accessing learning materials, so reports of funds being diverted towards alcohol, gambling, “groove” and other non-educational expenses represent a matter of serious concern. Beyond the immediate impact on student success, such misuse ultimately represents a loss to South African taxpayers whose contributions are intended to support education and skills development.

Investigative journalism by reputable media such as the Daily Maverick and OUTA have documented instances of students using book and living allowances for online gambling activities. Students interviewed reported using monies intended for textbooks, accommodation, groceries and transport to fund betting activities, often resulting in debt, financial hardship and academic disruption. [dailymaverick.co.za], [dailymaverick.co.za]

The concern became sufficiently serious that NSFAS entered into a partnership with the National Gambling Board to address the diversion of student allowances to gambling activities and to improve student financial literacy. Officials noted that NSFAS funding is intended to support educational success and essential living needs, and that misuse of these resources undermines students’ academic outcomes and long-term well-being. [thestar.co.za]

Whilst we hope the overwhelming majority of beneficiaries utilise their allowances responsibly, the abuse of taxpayer-funded educational support represents a matter of concern for all stakeholders in higher education not just booksellers but all the way to the communities these future graduates will seek to serve. Having monitored these developments since the Jacob Zuma administration, the trend has been more negative for each Semester. The initial positive sentiment regarding cash to students as an extended social grant chafes. Every Rand diverted from learning materials and educational purposes weakens the intended developmental impact of South Africa’s substantial investment in student funding.

As booksellers serving the education sector, we remain committed to advocating for greater accountability and the prioritization of learning materials as a critical component of student success.

Strengthening Government Partnerships Through the 17 Clusters Initiative

A notable achievement during the year has been the strengthening of relationships between SABA and various government entities through the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) Clusters Initiative championed by the Honourable Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr Gayton McKenzie.

The Minister’s enthusiasm for books and publishing, informed in part by his own experience as an author, has contributed to a renewed appreciation for the role of the book sector within the broader creative economy.

Books occupy a unique position within the Cultural and Creative Industries landscape. Ours remains the only sector with complementary industry bodies representing different, yet interconnected, functions across the value chain. As our members are the direct interface to the reading public with bookshops being integrated into community life, SABA is represented in the manufacturing and distribution of books, while our colleagues in publishing and the creative domains fulfil equally important roles through sister structures further up the book value-chain.

SABA’s relationship with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) has strengthened considerably over the period under review.

I am particularly pleased to report that, as President of SABA and National Book Sector Representative, I had the honour of meeting with the Honourable Minister and DSAC officials on more than five occasions during the past year, more than any previous Minister in the portfolio. These engagements have strengthened mutual understanding between Government and the bookselling sector and have ensured that the interests of booksellers remain visible within broader Cultural and Creative Industries policy discussions.

The Association’s participation in the development of the 17 Cultural and Creative Industries Clusters Initiative has been especially rewarding. SABA played a practical role in supporting the official launch of the initiative in late March 2026. This included contributions to the development of delegate information material, the production of a commemorative take-away pamphlet, and the establishment of a multimedia display that showcased books across print, audio and e-book formats.

As highlighted in my public LinkedIn reflection following the launch, the Thekgang NPC exhibition sought to position Southern Africa’s publishing and book sector as a leading force for Pan-African storytelling and intellectual property development within the traditional print and emerging digital economy. [linkedin.com]

This collaborative framework has enabled meaningful engagement across government and industry, ensuring that books continue to receive the attention they deserve as instruments of education, economic activity, literacy, language preservation, and cultural expression. Books are critical to the notion of democracy and human rights especially for a developing nation like South Africa, bearing in mind how far we have come and where we wish all our people to get to as fruitful members of society and contributors to GDP with due reference to the goals and targets of the Creative Industries Masterplan, we co-authored and gazetted by Parliament in 2022.

Thekgang NPC implementing Book Manufacturing & Distribution Cluster Interventions

The achievements of Thekgang NPC, one of the seventeen recognized CCI Clusters responsible for Books Manufacturing and Distribution, deserve special recognition.

The progress realised by Thekgang would not have been possible without the support and participation of SABA members. Through our collective efforts, books continue to reach both urban centres and rural communities throughout South Africa.

One particularly memorable initiative took place in Bochum, Limpopo, where children living with disabilities received reading materials that will serve as the foundation for a growing school library. Such initiatives remind us that books are more than products. They are instruments of opportunity, inclusion, and social transformation.

Thekgang also facilitated successful book business workshops in North West Province and in the Minister’s home province of the Free State. These engagements generated significant local interest in publishing, bookselling, authorship, and book marketing, demonstrating the untapped potential that exists outside our major metropolitan centers.

Equally noteworthy has been the success of the Thekgang Talking podcast series. The programme has developed into one of the sector’s most important platforms for discussion and debate. Covering subjects ranging from interviews with leading authors and publishers to indigenous-language children’s literature, literacy campaigns, publishing innovation, and industry trends, the podcast has attracted growing audiences and achieved remarkable visibility within the digital media landscape.

Thekgang’s partnership initiatives have further supported local publishing development. Particular recognition must be given to programmes assisting young women publishers under the auspices of Jacana Publishers. It is fitting that Jacana Publishers was recognised as Publisher of the Year at this year’s National Arts and Culture Awards, an achievement that reflects both organisational excellence and commitment to developing South African voices.

Combating Piracy and Illegal Book Distribution

SABA’s longstanding partnership with the Publishers Association of South Africa (PASA) has continued to yield positive outcomes.

The Association expresses its appreciation to our upstream colleagues across the publishing sector for their unwavering collaboration in combating piracy and illegal book distribution. Through our joint participation in the Copyright Coalition, we have strengthened industry responses to intellectual property violations that threaten authors, publishers, booksellers, and ultimately readers themselves.

The fight against piracy remains a shared responsibility and one that will require continued vigilance as unlawful distribution methods evolve.