About us

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

Initially, the law firm focussed exclusively on international commercialisation of intellectual property and on assisting South African Treasury with intellectual property tax policy.

During 2009, S&Z created a separate division that focussed exclusively on filing patents and designs for the "man on the street". Historically, these two divisions have intentionally been kept separate:

• "S&Z Commercial" providing only commercial, valuation, tax and exchange control services to most South African multinational companies (Anglo American, De Beers, Sasol) and Regulators (SARS, SARB, Treasury); and
• "S&Z Filings" providing low-cost patent searches and patent and design registrations to individual inventors via its website IdeaNav.

Over the past 10 years, S&Z has also developed an online patent, trademark and design renewal system. The savings generated by this renewal system has 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 +10,000 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. This tie-up significantly increased filings by S&Z.

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