Vodacom-Maziv deal gets appeal dates, still waiting for Competition Tribunal reasons

[Jan]

Big development in R13-billion Vodacom-Vumatel deal

Vodacom and Remgro have notified shareholders that the Competition Appeal Court has set dates for a hearing about the Competition Tribunal prohibiting Vodacom from acquiring a 30% to 40% stake in Vumatel's parent, Maziv.

"On 6 March 2025, the Competition Appeal Court informed the transaction parties that the hearing dates have been reserved for 22 to 24 July 2025," Vodacom and Remgro said in statements published to the JSE News Service at market close on Friday.

 

[oros]

I still don't like Vodacom, but the Competition Tribunal is useless........

 

[FiestaST]

Sounds like a Maziv development tbh.

 

[Swa]

I still don't like Vodacom, but the Competition Tribunal is useless........

Exactly. 4 years to not have a resolution on the matter.

 

[j4ck455]

“In a case such as the Vodacom/Maziv merger, that raises complex competition issues, with multiple theories of competitive harm, both horizontal and vertical,” a Tribunal spokesperson said.

“It also raises complex public interest issues, with inter alia effects on the particular sector and counterfactuals to consider. Therefore, it is not practical to issue reasons within a 20-business-day period.”

The way to deal with complex issues is to identify the different components (call them variables if you want) and evaluate each component on its own and later in combination with the other factors as well as the overall complex issue.

That does take time to do, but it is no excuse for issuing a decree with no rationale especially when the rationale is a legal requirement, the announcement of the decree should have been delayed until such time as an advanced draft of the rationale was in place.

Issuing the decree to stop the merger without any rationale simply invites criticism that the Competition Tribunal is making decisions on a whim without any rationale.

What happened to the once competent Competition Commission and Competition Tribunal?