Online Reporter
Stephen Mpofu, Perspective
THE academic book industry in our country is virtually under siege, with pirates taking shortcuts to satisfy their needs — often aided by “corrupt law-enforcement agents”.
Representatives from two publishing houses in Harare, who preferred to remain anonymous, recently told this communicologist that individuals who violate intellectual property laws typically purchase a few copies of school textbooks, which they then photocopy and sell to the public — sometimes at half the original price. This practice deprives both publishers and bookshops of their rightful earnings.
When asked for comment, Police Commissioner Paul Nyathi stated that an anti-piracy law enforcement body does exist in the country, and that those with grievances should report such matters to the police so that action can be taken against the alleged book pirates.
However, the aforementioned publishing representatives claimed that some anti-piracy officers are corrupt, accepting bribes that allow them to turn a blind eye to the rampant piracy, as though nothing were amiss.
This alleged bribery has only served to fuel the piracy crisis. One publisher reportedly opted to publish a new book in a neighbouring country “because of book piracy in this country,” according to an employee who requested anonymity.
A “Buy Zimbabwe” campaign is currently underway, encouraging citizens to support locally produced goods over imports, with the aim of growing domestic industries and creating employment for Zimbabweans.
Yet, if the reported piracy of books by Zimbabwean authors is not brought to a halt, publishers may be forced to shut down due to lost revenue. Authors, unpaid and disillusioned, may stop writing altogether, opening the floodgates to more expensive imported books — books that students may not be able to afford. This could ultimately reduce Zimbabwe’s renowned education system to a mere shadow of its former self, due to the lack of affordable, relevant academic materials.
Should the current scourge of book piracy continue unchecked, the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council may find itself in a quandary when selecting texts that align with our education system and national development goals.
It is therefore incumbent upon the authorities to take decisive action against book piracy and those alleged to be enabling it.
Anti-book piracy efforts must go beyond rhetoric — they must be enforced in earnest, for the sake of Zimbabwe’s reputation in the global village.
