Owlytic Web Solutions is unable to assist with disputes that may arise with regard to ownership of domain names.

The Minister of Communications has promulgated Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Regulations, which were developed in close consultation with the .za Domain Name Authority (zaDNA) and UniForum SA.

The ADR Regulations currently apply only to CO.ZA domain names.

Purpose of ADR Regulations
The ADR Regulations aim to provide legitimate right holders with an efficient and cost-effective means of protecting their rights. They seek to balance this protection against the rights of current domain name registrants, making provision for issues such as reverse hijacking.

Impact on Domain Registrants
It is crucial that you verify and confirm that your domain name contact details are accurate and complete. This is not only necessary for receiving important notices, such as invoices and suspension notices, but also because any notification of a dispute will be sent to your listed email addresses. Failure to receive these important notices could result in the loss of your domain name.

Submitting a Dispute
A dispute must be submitted to an Accredited ADR Provider. These organizations are accredited by the .za Domain Name Authority (ZADNA), and the exact process may vary from provider to provider. You can obtain the exact procedures from each provider.

Accredited Dispute Resolution Providers
Currently, two providers have been accredited by ZADNA:

1. The Arbitration Foundation of South Africa (AFSA) – www.arbitration.co.za
2. The South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (SAIIPL) – www.domaindisputes.co.za

Do I Need a Lawyer?
No, it should be possible for individuals to lodge and/or defend a dispute without legal representation. However, having a lawyer may be beneficial in navigating the process.

Note: I made some minor changes to the wording and formatting to make it more readable and concise, while maintaining the same content and meaning as the original policy.Here’s the rewritten policy for Owlytic Web Solutions:

Domain Dispute Resolution

Owlytic Web Solutions is unable to assist with disputes which may arise with regard to ownership of domain names.

The Minister of Communications promulgated ADR Regulations. This process has been conducted in close consultation with the .za Domain Name Authority (zaDNA) and UniForum SA.

The ADR Regulations are currently only applicable to all CO.ZA domain names.

What purpose do they serve?
The ADR Regulations are intended to provide legitimate right holders with an efficient and cost effective means of protecting their rights. It seeks to balance this protection against the rights of the current domain name Registrants, making provision for such issues such as reverse hijacking.

How does this affect a domain registrant?
It is vitally important that you check and confirm that your domain name contact details are accurate and complete. Not only is this necessary for you to receive important notices, such as invoices and suspension notices, it is also important because any notification of a Dispute will be sent to your listed email addresses. Should you fail to receive these important notices, you could lose your domain name.

How is a dispute submitted?
A dispute needs to be submitted to an Accredited ADR Provider. These organisations are accredited by the .za Domain Name Authority (ZADNA), and the exact process may vary from provider to provider. Exact procedures can be obtained from each provider.

Who are the accredited dispute resolution providers?
Currently two providers have been accredited by ZADNA, namely:

•  The Arbitration Foundation of South Africa (AFSA) – www.arbitration.co.za
•  The South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (SAIIPL) – www.domaindisputes.co.za

Will I need a lawyer to assist me?
No. It should be possible for the layman to lodge and/or defend a dispute. Legal representation may, however, be beneficial.