JOHANNESBURG – Photographer Shaun Earl Harris is reportedly taking legal action against the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) for copyright infringement.
It is reported the GCIS used his photograph of Nelson Mandela without his consent, and further failed to address the matter when he personally approached them.
He is now demanding 20 million rands from the GCIS and says he is taking the legal route as he seeks compensation for damages and loss of recognition, including royalties.
Harris was quoted saying, “once again come out to the public after having tried unsuccessfully to engage with the South African government on the matter”
“I am seeking relief via a civil claim in the High Court of South Africa,” added the aggrieved photographer.
According to Harris, he authorised the GCIS to use the photograph in 2006, but the licence they purchased only authorised them to use the image in a book published only.
“This license was, however, limited to the one time use of the image in a book published and distributed in South Africa,” he said.
The image in question was chosen by the Mandela family as the official image used in the late statesman’s funeral, but this did not settle well with the photographer because he was not notified.
Photo source – tapmagonline.com
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