APPALLING CIPC (Companies and Intellectual Property Commission)

Dear reader

I am extremely appalled at the experience I've had with CIPC.

1. Given the time we're living in it honestly does not make sense to me that CIPC - has no email address on their website - never ever replies to online enquiries submitted online - never ever replies to messages sent to both their Instagram and Facebook accounts - call centre waiting time costs R50 for less than 20 minutes.

All of this leaves one with PHYSICALLY GOING IN TO Cipc's self-service branch to ask a mere query. This is the ONLY option available to one. It is not conducive at all nor is it something anyone can appreciate.

For Cipc to assume that their website is so easily accessible and understood sees consequences that only the user/client/applicant has to bare.

Furthermore, it obstructs so many users/clients/applicants from seeing the process - may it be registering a business, trademarking, copyrighting etc - through! Does Cipc not want South Africans to get accustomed to developing their own businesses, protecting their IP, etc? Given the history and current status of South Africa in this regard.

2. When I pluck up the courage and have delayed my own goals - since each process offered by CIPC sees a waiting game - I'm still met with uninformed and incompassionate employees at Cipc's SELF-SERVICE physical branch.

When I went in on Friday 10 January 2020 I was given the wrong information as a response to my query which set me back by 2 whole months! I downloaded the forms, processed the payment, did everything online as instructed only to hear it was all the wrong processes to achieve what I had said I want to. How and when did I find out I was given the wrong information? Only when I went in AGAIN (to Cipc's SELF-SERVICE Cape Town branch) - on 10 March 2020 - to ask another query! This is a cost to your clients on many levels!

3. Consequently, on Tuesday 10 March 2020, I expressed all I shared in points 1 and 2 above to Cipc's employee Sarelda immediately as I started talking to her only to be told - "Anyway how can I help you today?" A blatant dismissal. - I then showed her my form and told her what I was told when I came in 10 January 2020 and said I had a follow-up question regarding this only to be told "No that's wrong" I said "I was told this by an employee at this very branch" Seralda gave no apology nor felt any remorse... just said "I'm telling you how to do it now" - When I expressed how I never get responses (as expressed above) on all the digital platforms Cipc offers AGAIN I was told "You obviously asked a question that is self-explanatory on the website.. and we won't reply to that" What is up with this assumption of what my query was? This second attempt at dismissal? And the blatant stance of "we won't reply to that"? The treatment imposed on Cipc's clients is so saddening and unacceptable. - When I expressed AGAIN the digital platforms' schelp I was told "why would you have a query when everything is on our website?", "call our call centre", - third attempt at dismissal. - When I asked "With regards to your statement on your website inserted below, 'The cost for a special search is R190.00 and the proof of payment must reach us on or before the date that you apply for the special search.' - HOW AND WHERE must the proof of payment reach you?"

I was told "We don't mean it literally. There's no proof of payment you must submit." WHAT KIND OF AN ANSWER IS THIS Cipc? What must a client take from that? So, everything is self-explanatory on the website and as a result we must never have a query BUT at the same time we must not take what IS supposedly self-explanatory 'literally'? I am beyond appalled at these experiences given to me in 2020. - When I asked who can I contact to request for Cipc's digital platform to become active? I was told about a backlog.... this is the fourth dismissal. Then I was told "no there's no one you can contact".

Cipc PLEASE this is unacceptable and we cannot allow this. South Africa has no other alternative to Cipc and I will not pause the other parts of my business that needs to be processed because of this nor do I think it's fair to expect me to continue this journey with more experiences like this with Cipc.