JOBURG PRIDE FACES LAWSUIT
The controversial previous organiser of Joburg Pride is threatening to take legal action against the current Joburg Pride board for trademark infringement.
Gary Bath claims that the board is infringing his registered trademark of “Johannesburg Pride Foundation”. A letter from Bath’s lawyers claims that current organisers’ use of the term “Joburg Pride” is “confusingly similar”.
Bath was the event’s coordinator in 2004 and in a number of previous years. However, he came under considerable criticism because he ran the event in his private capacity and, under his leadership, Pride racked up substantial debts, leaving suppliers and supporters angry and short-changed.
Most embarrassing was the much publicised failure to pay the 2004 event’s charity – Nkosi’s Haven – the R10 000 which was promised to it; this after a very public handing-over of a cheque to the organisation. Gail Johnson from Nkosi’s Haven confirmed to Mambaonline that this has still not been paid to the organisation.
Ironically, the lawyer’s letter claims that Bath’s Johannesburg Pride Foundation “has acquired a substantial reputation and goodwill in South Africa”.
The threatened lawsuit demands that the board immediately cease any use of the trademark “Joburg Pride” and hand over for destruction any material featuring the “offensive use” of the Joburg Pride mark.
Sources claim that Bath’s move is simply an attempt to derail this year’s Joburg Pride; suggesting that he may be bitter about the past. Mambaonline contacted Bath, but he refused to comment.
In response to Bath’s threatened legal action, Joburg Pride said in a statement: “The Joburg Pride board refutes the claim that it is infringing on any trademarks and is prepared to vigorously defend any legal action taken against it on this issue.”
The board has previously taken the position that the term Joburg Pride should not be trademarked by anyone as Pride should not be owned by any individual or organisation and this would be akin to trademarking Christmas or Easter.
Since 2007, Joburg Pride has been run by a largely volunteer board as part of a registered section 21 not-for-profit company. It also includes community representatives from the Joint Working Group (JWG) on the board. The 2009 Joburg Pride parade is set to take place on October 3 at Zoo Lake Sports Club.
Gary Bath. Gary Bath is like a cockroach. He just won’t die or go away. He can probably survive a nuclear blast…
Bath. True! And he is an embarassment
Gary Bath. Rather like a bad rash that won’t go away …
Bath. WOW. I didnt want to believe that bastards like this could exist in the gay community but apparently they do. This guy deserves to rot. But he is another example of how similar the gay and str8 community are. It seems there are bastards in both.
have you all lost your minds hey. well excuse me have you all forgoten what it took us gays and lesbians to get our right to march at Rose bank and zoo lake at the gay parade pride hey it seems like you all have forgoten about how tough it was coming out to our famliy being gay and coming out on the streets out of our closet at the gay march gay pride parade every year .shame on you all grow up and think how tough it really was getting our rights and marching at the zoo lake and coming out being gay at zoo lake now .
have you lost your minds. now just think how tough it was really coming out of our closet at the gay march on the streets out to our family just think what i have said just for one moment right now ok then get back to me as soon as possible when you get your heads turned right coz you know herrtersexuals will love to take our rights out of the window and thow out right away and they can do that no matter what you or i say they can and you must appreciate what the gay organisition has done for us so yeah
love sexyhot
What a load of old sh*t. Oh my! Have you ever heard of anything more ridiculous? Bath caused Pride to be shit and bankrupt and now he has the oddacity to challenge the new organisers, because they are actually getting it right! Talk about a bitter queen!
I seriously fail to see the so called “confusing similarity” between Johannesburg Pride Foundation and Joburg Pride. All that is similar is the word Pride! What the hell? I seriously hope that the courts will laugh at him and make him pay the legal costs as well as a hefty fine to the Joburg Pride organisers.
Poor old bitter queen – go book yourself into an old age home somewhere darling, and stay away from the community, because the only “substantial reputation” you have is that of a HUGE loser. You do not represent me, or any other gay person! Now piss off!
Hey Joburg Pride, lets call it the Joburg Mardi Gras! Fuck Bath, give him his Pride Foundation and see what he gets out of it.
well what did he do to you now. hey what did he do to u now i mean really can you tell me what the hicte did he do that made you guys so cross tell me come on sexy thing i am waitting now so you can tell me .
sexyhot
Joburg Pride. I think it is disgusting, especially the charity not being paid – that is simply shameful.
But I can’t help feeling that this article was not written fairly. Don’t get me wrong, Bath also owes my company money so he is not my most favorite person in the world. I just honestly feel that Joburg Pride did not do a great job themselves – sure, maybe they settled all their bills, but Pride itself is now extremely impersonal.
I feel that this article should have been written without making Bath out to be the devil and with Joburg Pride being the alpha and omega of gender diversity – because they are not.
Do not regard my opinion as biased – I personally offered my assistance to the Joburg Pride board (for any small bit of help they may have required), and it was implied to me by them on more than one occasion that my pair of hands was not good enough for them.
I really don’t care – at the end of last year’s pride I realised that it will be physically impossible to have a decent Pride event in Joburg again.
I agree article very badly written
I agree article very badly written
Mr Bath. Guys, you are all not being fair ? don’t vilify someone with out all the facts. Don’t look only at one side of the paper. Gary Bath volunteered many years of his life for the cause of Jhb Pride. As co-chair of Jhb Pride in 1998, I witnessed Gary spend much time and energy working to put on a successful events.
I personally feel that in the mid 2000’s he did seem to loose his way and make intrinsically bad strategic and financial decisions with regard to Jhb Pride, decisions that left the organisation (albeit his own cc) bankrupt and it’s demise precipitated a successful establishment of a registered Section 21a non-profit entity, which under the guidance of a volunteer Board of Directors ? manages the successful event today. Today, the Board is representative and run the event under strict Corporate Governance policies.
Gary put in his hours, time and energy when most other wouldn’t!
However,
No individual should own any rights, licenses or trademarks from a Pride community event and Gary bath would do well to cede these rights over to the Board of Directors and the Organisation. The legalities of trademark ownership vs. the social ownership of a Pride Type event should not need to be put on trial in the media ? and should Mr. Bath continue his recent approach, it is without doubt albeit legal, an ethically and socially bad decision of his behalf ? and one that does reek of bitterness and a disregard for the values and ethos of his previous lengthy volunteerism history with Jhb Pride.
As someone that knows him ? I appeal to Gary bath to do the right thing and cede any rights to Jhb Pride over to the Section 21 Company.
Who THE F**K CARES!!. As previously stated before… the organisers of pride previous and now are only out to look after themselves. They are a bunch of clique people who indirectly only look after what they want and therefore only trying to benefit the community.
Pride should be owned by the whole community and not by a single entity, for instance our Public holidays, no one owns them!!
inform yourself. Alex you silly fool!
Before you mouth off like that why don’t you do some homework so you don’t sound like a complete fool!
The current people who “DO” pride are actually ALL volunteers. The company that PUTS ON Pride is a Section 21 Company – which means Alex that it is a NOT-FOR-PROFIT Company! Meaning that any PROFIT made is not taken by anyone but used ONLY FOR PRIDE!
These “clique” people you refer to – these are the people that work FOR NOTHING to put on the best PRIDE that we have seen in YEARS.
So please, either inform yourself with the facts or SHUT the F**K UP!
Get Involved. Easy to sit on the sidelines and comment – get involved, volunteer and join – how much a bet you one of those cynics that sits on the sidelines, moans and does nothing?