Piracy
GULLIBLE consumers are taken for a ride by DVD and CD piracy which thrives in the black market.
The illicit trade is now an industry on its own and targets people who either know nothing about technology or are desperate to get the latest release in music and film.
Little do consumers know the costly consequences that lie ahead and damage the digital equipment have.
When gospel musician Ellias Shongwe grabbed illegal music cassettes from illicit traders in the street it was the least punitive measure he could mete to the street sellers.
At worst, the law provides that people caught in the act of piracy deserve a jail term.
So serious is the industry, that the Ministry of Enterprise and Employment was at one stage asked by operators of video shops to solve the impasse, threatening to close shop. Bongisile Dlamini, an assistant at a Mbabane video shop, said piracy was one of the major challenges faced by the industry.
“Pirates succeed in convincing the public that they sell the latest of movies. They also claim to provide five movies in one compact disc. But it cannot be denied that the quality of the picture and sound is far too poor and out of the five movies, only one plays well,” she said. Dlamini said her video shop came close to collapsing when the pirate videos first came to the market.
The illicit trade is now an industry on its own and targets people who either know nothing about technology or are desperate to get the latest release in music and film.
Little do consumers know the costly consequences that lie ahead and damage the digital equipment have.
When gospel musician Ellias Shongwe grabbed illegal music cassettes from illicit traders in the street it was the least punitive measure he could mete to the street sellers.
At worst, the law provides that people caught in the act of piracy deserve a jail term.
So serious is the industry, that the Ministry of Enterprise and Employment was at one stage asked by operators of video shops to solve the impasse, threatening to close shop. Bongisile Dlamini, an assistant at a Mbabane video shop, said piracy was one of the major challenges faced by the industry.
“Pirates succeed in convincing the public that they sell the latest of movies. They also claim to provide five movies in one compact disc. But it cannot be denied that the quality of the picture and sound is far too poor and out of the five movies, only one plays well,” she said. Dlamini said her video shop came close to collapsing when the pirate videos first came to the market.
Tags: Piracy, Bongisle Dlamini, Ellias Shongwe,
Source: The Swazi Obsever
posted by Caleb A. O at 2:01 AM
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