About us

Sibanda & Zantwijk Patent Attorneys was established in 2007 and is the top filer of South African patents (2022, 2023, 2024).

Initially, the law firm focussed exclusively on international commercialisation of intellectual property (primarily for Anglo American and De Beers) and on assisting South African Treasury with intellectual property tax policy.

During 2009, S&Z created a separate division that focussed on patent and design filings. It targeted the applicants that previously ignored “Africa” (instead of competing for a share of the existing market), offered only fixed-price options and simplified the filing to grant process.

Since 2010, S&Z developed an online patent, trademark and design renewal system. The savings generated by this renewal system resulted in most South African multinationals and Universities, and many foreign multinational companies migrating their renewal portfolios to S&Z. Today, S&Z is one of the largest online processors of renewal payments, managing +13,000 patents.

During 2012, S&Z started an in-house product prototyping department creating affordable CAD models, 3D printed prototypes and photorealistic posters for inventors wishing to bring their inventions to life.

Since 2014, S&Z has registered trademarks, and in 2017, S&Z was appointed as the exclusive South African agent of GlobalIPCo - a global online patent, trademark and design filing system.

In 2020, S&Z launched TM Direct – an online system for filing South African trademarks.

Today, S&Z offers a very focussed range of patent, trademark and design services to foreign law firms, while offering only trademark services to South African clients.