Essentially, this new product or process has to represent a new way of doing things or has to provide a technical solution to a real-life industrial problem.
[1] If a South African inventor applies for a patent, the application is accompanied by a provisional or complete specification.
A provisional specification is lodged at CIPC if the inventor is still testing or developing the product or process.
Once the invention has been fully developed and tested, a fresh patent application, with complete specification, is filed.
It is crucial that an international patent search should be conducted, especially if an inventor wants to commercialize a product or process in foreign countries.
[1][failed verification] South Africa is a signatory of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).
[1][failed verification] South African criteria for the originality of an invention are analogous to those of most of the First World, e.g. Europe, the United States, Japan, and Australia.