South Africa Still Fighting for Domain

• By theWHIR.com , September 16, 2004

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September 16, 2004 -- (WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) -- The South African government is still fighting to own the southafrica.com domain name despite expensive litigation against Virtual Countries, the US company that owns the domain, Roy Padayachee, deputy communications minister for South Africa, said today in a report by Business Report.

Virtual Countries has owned the southafrica.com domain name since 2002 and has reportedly demanded $10 million for the transfer of ownership. The South African government is not willing to pay the price, which it considers exhorbitant.

According to Padayachee, the South African government has lobbied World Intellectual Property Organisation to arbitrate the case. The arbitration was halted, however, when Virtual Countries appealed and asked for a court order to prohibit the South African government from using the domain. The appeal was dismissed, but Virtual Countries remains in control over the domain.

However, in a decision that may ultimately impact the outcome of the case, ICANN, the international body that oversees the domain name system, has decided that no individuals or companies will have access to the ownership of domain names centered around country names, the report said.

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