Grassroots innovation journey spotlights new pathways
Creating impact in the innovation ecosystem and reaching disadvantaged communities has been central to the Inventor Assistance Program (IAP), helping turn innovative ideas into commercial assets. The IAP is the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) flagship project, launched in partnership with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC).
Read more: Grassroots innovation journey spotlights new pathways
Young Ideas — South Africa’s Future Gold Standard, CIPC IP Youth Awards 2026
The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) is proud to announce that they will be hosting the CIPC Intellectual Property (IP) Youth Awards 2026. The Competition is a dynamic platform designed to celebrate bold thinking, fresh innovation, and the next generation of business leaders.
Read more: Young Ideas — South Africa’s Future Gold Standard, CIPC IP Youth Awards 2026
dtic, CIPC AND SPU to host the 6th annual intellectual property and technology commercialisation colloquium
Key stakeholders from government, academia and business will convene in Kimberley, Northern Cape, for a colloquium aimed at strengthening South Africa’s innovation and technology commercialisation ecosystem and unlocking new economic opportunities.
CIPC launches a Case Management System
The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) is pleased to announce the launch of its new Case Management System (CMS), a modern digital platform designed to improve how the public submits and tracks complaints and legal documents.
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A co-operative must have a registered office in South Africa and this must be recorded in the constitution. The CIPC must also have a record of the co-operative’s address and contact details.
The constitution must record the place (township/suburb/city) and province where the registered office is based. If the contact details of the registered office of a co-operative are changed, the co-operative must notify the Registrar of Co-operatives within 15 days.
The official documents of the co-operative must be kept in a safe place at the registered office.
The records of a Co-operative are all the important documents that relate to the registration and working of the Co-operative.
The Co-operative must include its name in all contracts, invoices, cheques, business letters, orders, and other official documents. The name of the Co-operative must also be put up at its place of business.
A co-operative must keep the following documents at its registered office:
- The constitution
- Its registration certificate
- A register of the Directors interests
- A list of the members
- A list of the Directors
- The minutes book
- Adequate accounting records
To apply for a change to the registered address and contact particulars of the co-operatives the following supporting documents must be included:
- Form CO-OP 3 – Address & contact particulars of co-operative (no fee payable)
- Form CO-OP 6.1 if place (township/suburb/city) and/or province where the registered office is based
- Deposit R17.50 click here for bank details
- Resolution or minutes of the meeting in terms of which the change has been mandated
- Certified identity copy of chairperson of the meeting
- Power of attorney (if applicable)
NB: Lodgement of a passport copy is only accepted as proof of identity for non-residents of South Africa. For South African residents a green bar-coded/ smart ID copy must be lodged.
E-mail:
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Changing the Constitution of the Co-operative
As long as any changes to your constitution follow the Co-operatives Act and the principles of a Co-operative, you may change your constitution to suit your own requirements.
You may only change your constitution by taking a special resolution (decision), which is a decision taken by at least two-thirds of the members present at a general meeting.
- The constitution of a Co-operative can set a higher majority for a special resolution if the members wish to do so.
- The year-end may only change once annually by a maximum of six months earlier or later.
- Members need to be informed that they are required to vote on the proposed change, so you need to send them a notice in advance about the meeting and the proposed change that will be voted on.
- The Co-operative must then submit the special resolution to the Registrar of Co-operatives so that their original constitution can be changed accordingly. You do this by paying the required fee, completing Form CO-OP 6.1 and sending it to the CIPC.
- The Registrar must register the change to your constitution, provided that it follows the Co-operatives Act and the Co-operatives principles and provided that your Co-operative has followed the correct procedure for making changes.
To change the Constitution of the Co-operative
To change the financial year-end of co-operative follow the steps below:
- Register as a Customer
For information on how to register as a customer see below
You may also follow a step-by-step guide.
To register as a customer for conversion and maintenance of a co-operative click here
If you are already registered as a customer and know your customer code and password, proceed to step 2.
- Deposit funds
Deposit R17.50 per clause of the co-operative constitution that you would like to change, for the bank account details, click here. Use your customer code as a reference when depositing funds into the CIPC account.
Apply for a change to the co-operatives constitution:
Complete and e-mail the completed and signed documents together with supporting information
The following supporting documents must be included in your e-mail:
- Print and complete form CO-OP 6
- The original written resolution or statement of consent to the name change signed by all members of the co-operative
- Certified identity copy of the chairperson of the meeting
- Power of attorney (if applicable)
E-mail :
NB: Lodgement of a passport copy is only accepted as proof of identity for non-residents of South Africa. For South African residents a green bar-coded/ smart ID copy must be lodged.
Click here for the CIPC service standards. Service Standard is dependent on payment for the transaction being made.
Click here to log an enquiry (only after the indicated service standard has lapsed).
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In order to change an existing registered co-operative name, a name must first be reserved. Once a name reservation has been approved, the co-operative must apply for a change to its Constitution. CIPC must also be informed of the change of name of the Co-operative.
To reserve a name, click here
For manual application and documents required the following supporting documents must be included:
- Complete the CO-OP6.1 form
- Letter of approved name (Cor9.4)
- The original written resolution or statement of consent to the name change signed by the chairperson of the board
- Certified identity copy of the chairperson of the meeting
- Power of attorney (if applicable)
NB: Lodgement of a passport copy is only accepted as proof of identity for non-residents of South Africa. For South African residents a green bar-coded/ smart ID copy must be lodged.
E-mail:
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In order to effect changes to the board of directors, please follow these steps:
To appoint or effect changes to the auditors, follow these steps:
Register a customer code
If you are already registered as a customer and know your customer code and password, proceed to the next step.
The number of Directors must at all times be within the minimum and maximum number of Directors as specified in the Constitution of the Co-operative. If you would want to increase or decrease the number of directors in the constitution, deposit R17,50 into the CIPC bank account. For the bank account details, click here.
Note: If there is no change to the limits of the board of directors, no change to the constitution is necessary. Submit only a notice of change to the board of directors to CIPC – Form CO-OP6 and CO-OP2
Lodge a request to change the number of directors on the board
Form CO-OP6 if the number of directors on the board must be increased or decreased in the constitution
Resolution or minutes of the meeting in terms of which the change has been mandated
Certified identity copy of chairperson of the meeting
Power of attorney (if applicable)
Certified copy of ID document of each director
Reasons why the number of members of the Board of Director was increased out of term (if applicable);
Reasons for any Director’s vacation of Office out of term (if applicable), i.e.:
A letter of resignation of a Director should be attached. Also indicate whether the Director also resigned as Founder Member, where applicable. OR
Minutes of a meeting of the Board, if a Director was expelled as Director as he/she has become incompetent to be a Director or was absent from a number of consecutive Board meetings without leave, as specified in the constitution of the Co-operative. The Minutes must be signed by all of the directors and be certified a true copy OR
Death Certificate
Scan and e-mail completed and signed CO-OP2 form, together with supporting documents to
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