The Film and Publication Board (FPB) has overseen the destruction of 87 000 pirated DVDs and CDs worth an estimated R8.7-million in an anti-piracy operation.

It said the move not only serves to help protect the economy for illicit trade but also helps “safeguard children from exposure to harmful and inappropriate content”. It did not say where or how it sourced the 87 000 optical discs.

“The destruction of these discs, which were confiscated during law enforcement operations against illegal distributors, is a vital step in ensuring that potentially harmful content does not reach the hands of children,” the FPB said in a statement on Friday.

“Our primary task is the protection of children from harmful content. By destroying these confiscated materials, we effectively remove them from the equation, preventing their potential distribution and exposure to young audiences,” added FPB acting CEO Makhosazana Lindhorst.

The FPB said the distribution of films and games that have not been classified by the regulator is “strictly prohibited”, and non-compliance can lead to “severe penalties, including imprisonment for up to eight months or fines of up to R150 000”.

“The FPB takes these regulations seriously, as they are designed to protect vulnerable audiences from inappropriate material,” it said.

“The illegal distribution of DVDs, particularly those containing unclassified or pornographic content, poses a significant threat not only to children but also to the economy. Black market goods undermine the viability of legal suppliers and rob content creators of their rightful royalties.”

Proliferation

The FPB said there has been a proliferation in the number of pirate adult movies being distributed in South Africa. This has “led to a decline in legitimate distribution from licensed adult stores, further jeopardising the livelihoods of legal distributors”.

In recent months, MultiChoice Group has also stepped up its actions against piracy with a series of arrests in Gauteng in the Western Cape.

In late May, MultiChoice-owned technology security company Irdeto succeeded in nailing a priate internet streaming service called Waka TV, which it described at the time as a “significant victory in the fight against internet streaming piracy”.

Then, in July, MultiChoice, working with police detective, nabbed an alleged piracy kingpin in Gauteng. And in August, the company raided another piracy ring, this one in Cape Town. Two people were arrested in that case. – © 2024 NewsCentral Media