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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- Written by: CIPC
- Category: Uncategorised
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In terms of Section 4 of the Companies Act, 2008, there is a solvency and liquidity test.
Solvency relates to the assets of the company, fairly valued, being equal or exceeding the liabilities of the company. Liquidity relates to the company being able to pay its debt as they become due in the ordinary course of business for a period of 12 months.
1. A company satisfies the solvency and liquidity test at a particular time if, considering all reasonably foreseeable financial circumstances of the company at that time
(a) the assets of the company, as fairly valued, equal or exceed the liabilities of the company, as fairly valued; and
(b) it appears that the company will be able to pay its debts as they become due in the ordinary course of business for a period of –
- (i) 12 months after the date on which the test is considered; or
- (ii) in the case of a distribution contemplated in paragraph (a) of the definition of ‘distribution’ in section 1, 12 months following that distribution.
2. For the purposes contemplated in subsection (1)
(a) any financial information to be considered concerning the company must be based on
(i) accounting records that satisfy the requirements of section 28; and
(ii) financial statements that satisfy the requirements of section 29;
(b) subject to paragraph (c), the board or any other person applying the solvency and liquidity test to a company
(i) must consider a fair valuation of the company’s assets and liabilities, including any reasonably foreseeable contingent assets and liabilities, irrespective of whether or not arising as a result of the proposed distribution, or otherwise; and
(ii) may consider any other valuation of the company’s assets and liabilities that is reasonable in the circumstances; and
(c) unless the Memorandum of Incorporation of the company provides otherwise, when applying the test in respect of a distribution contemplated in paragraph (a) of the definition of ‘distribution’ in section 1, a person is not to include as a liability any amount that would be required, if the company were to be liquidated at the time of the distribution, to satisfy the preferential rights upon liquidation of shareholders whose preferential rights upon liquidation are superior to the preferential rights upon liquidation of those receiving the distribution.
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- Written by: CIPC
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Private or personal liability companies that are required to be audited by the Companies Act, 2008 or regulation 28, must file a copy of the latest approved Audited Financial Statements on the date that they file their annual return with the CIPC.
The following private companies are required to have their annual financial statements audited:
- Any private or personal liability company if, in the ordinary course of its primary activities, it holds assets in a fiduciary capacity for persons who are not related to the company, and the aggregate value of such assets held at any time during the financial year exceeds R5 million;
- Any private or personal liability company that compiles its financial statements internally (for example, by its financial director or one of the owners) and that has a Public Interest Score (PIS) of 100 or more;
- Any private or personal liability company that has its financial statements compiled by an independent party (such as an external accountant) and that has a Public Interest Score (PIS) of 350 or more;
Unless the company has opted to have its annual financial statements audited or is required by its Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI) to do so, a private or personal liability company that is not managed by its owners may be subject to independent review if:
- It compiles its financial statements internally and its Public Interest Score (PIS) is less than 100;
- It has its financial statements compiled independently at its Public Interest Score (PIS) is between 100 and 349;
Private or personal liability companies that are not required to have their financial statements audited, may elect to voluntarily file their audited or reviewed statements with their annual returns. If such companies choose not to file a full set of financial statements, they must file a financial accountability supplement with their annual return.
How to file your annual financial statements
- Either Financial Accountability Supplements (FASs) or Annual Financial Statements (AFSs) should be filed via the e-services portal:https://eservices.cipc.co.za/ together with Annual Returns (ARs).
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- Written by: CIPC
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The position of an auditor or an audit committee member may not remain vacant for more than 40 business days, while a company secretarial vacancy must be filed within 60 business days. An auditor may serve a maximum of five consecutive financial years.
Steps to effect changes for auditors:
Online application
E-Services: Electronic Application for Appointment and Resignation of Auditors
Register as a customer, click here.
If you already have a customer code, login to e-services, then click online transact
Note: No supporting documents are required.
Manual Application: Appointment, Resignation, and Removal of Auditors or Company Secretary.
Print and complete form CoR44.
The following documents are required:
- A power of Attorney or Mandate, signed by the current active directors, is mandatory when a third party files a Cor44 on behalf of the company.
- A signed resolution from the active director(s) indicating the change related to the Auditor or Company Secretary.
- A certified ID copy of the Customer Code holder, dated within the last three months.
- A certified ID copy of the Director who signed the Cor44 form, dated within the last three months.
- A certified ID copy of the applicant or individual who signed the Cor44 form, dated within the last three months.
- A certified ID copy of the Auditor, dated within the last three months.
- A consent Letter from the Auditor, accepting the appointment.
- For resignations, a resignation letter on the company letterhead must be provided.
- Proof of Address for the Auditor’s firm, provided via annexure or the firm’s letterhead.
- Please ensure that both sides of the Smart ID card are certified on the same page. (This information must be updated on the website)
Note: When a company appoints a firm as its Auditor, it is compulsory to designate a natural person as the responsible auditor.
An acceptance letter from the designated auditor must accompany the submission
E-mail the completed and signed documents together with supporting documentation to
Click here for the CIPC service standards. Service Standard is dependent on payment for the transaction being made.
Click here to log an enquiry. This section is no longer applicable as the QRS has been discontinued. Perhaps when the new system of logging enquiries is put in place we can include it.
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- Written by: CIPC
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Means a governance document adopted by all members or prospective members of a co-operative, which sets out the objective policies and management of that particular co-operative.
The constitution of a Co-operative is the document that contains all the rules for how a Co-operative should be structured and managed. The constitution should include:
- Official document – Procedures and Regulations in the Constitution
- Meetings
- Membership
- General Matters
- The Annual General Meeting (AGM)
- The Board of Directors
- Decision making
- Management
- Finances
- Any other rules that agree with the Co-operative principles
Every member has to read the constitution of the Co-operative carefully and understand all the regulations in it. Alternatively, the Board of Directors must explain all the rules of the constitution to the members and ensure that they understand them.
CIPC can provide you with a model constitution especially designed for co-operatives. You may use this model for your own co-operative or amend it to suit the requirements of your own co-operative.
Model Constitutions
When registering a co-operative, two copies of the model constitution need to be handed in together with the application form CO-OP1
- Model Constitution for Primary Agricultural Co-operatives
- Model Constitution for Primary Non-Specific Co-operatives
- Model Constitution for Primary Housing Co-operatives
- Model Constitution for Primary Worker Co-operatives
- Model Constitution for Secondary Co-operatives
- Model Constitution for Housing Primary Co-operative
- Model Constitution for Tertiary Co-operatives
- Model Constitution for Financial Co-operative
- Model Constitution for Social Co-operative
The model constitution must be signed by all members and accompany the registration forms.
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