During December 2010 a news article was published on Sedo.com citing South Africa’s co.za extension as a “Rising Star”. The article seems to promote co.za as a valuable extension for domain name investors mentioning that there were over $1,000,000 worth of documented co.za aftermarket sales in 2010. The complete article can be read here.

The flip side of the coin is the increase in cybersquatting and typosquatting activities within co.za. Three co.za complaints (maxdupreez.co.za, pic.co.za and digicert.co.za) have already been filed with the South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (SAIIPL) this year. Twelve complaints were filed during 2007, the year in which the ZA Alternative Dispute Resolution (zaADR) was launched. In 2008 and 2009 an additional 26 complaints were filed . 2010 saw the highest number of complaints filed with the SAIIPL (25).

The new found co.za fame is keeping trade mark owners busy not to mention their lawyers.  Although squatting activities cannot be eliminated the exposure to such risk can be reduced through a co-ordinated strategy of registering trade mark related domain names for defensive purposes. Groupon have also been bitten by the co.za “Rising Star” losing out on groupon.co.za. Could this be the next zaADR complaint?

Register you co.za domain name at Lexsynergy.com.