South African president Ramaphosa
South Africa is moving to ease merger and acquisition rules in a bid to cut red tape and lower business costs in its sluggish economy. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition has proposed raising the minimum thresholds that trigger mandatory antitrust reporting, meaning fewer deals would require regulatory approval. Under the draft changes, both the lower and higher thresholds for reporting mergers would increase significantly, reducing legal expenses and speeding up transaction timelines. The reforms aim to lighten compliance burdens for companies while encouraging investment in an economy that has struggled to grow beyond 1% annually. Backed by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Operation Vulindlela reform drive, the proposals reflect a broader push to revive deal-making and restore investor confidence.
Bloomberg