Vodacom South Africa has obtained final regulatory approval to purchase a co-controlling interest in Maziv, a significant fibre infrastructure provider that runs Dark Fibre Africa and Vumatel.
The ruling, which concludes a three-and-a-half-year regulatory process, allows Maziv to receive a sizable capital infusion.
The Competition Appeal Court approved a convoluted legal and regulatory process, which Maziv Chairman Pieter Uys confirmed on August 14, 2025.
Although the court has approved the transaction, it is waiting on more procedural information before providing more analysis.
Roadblocks to Vodacom-Maziv merger deal
Over the years, the acquisition encountered several challenges. The Competition Commission first suggested that the deal be blocked due to concerns about less competition in the fibre market in South Africa. But after Maziv and Vodacom put forth several solutions to reduce the risks of competition, the commission changed its mind and approved the deal.
Vodacom and Maziv filed an appeal after the Competition Tribunal denied the merger, which intensified the situation.
The commission had already changed its stance in favour of the deal, so in a rare turn of events, the Competition Appeal Court was left to deliberate without opposition.
The appeal’s judge, Norman Manoim, characterised the circumstances as unusual, pointing out that the regulator did not provide a rebuttal to the court’s detailed criticism of the tribunal’s ruling.
This left it up to the court to evaluate the appeal’s merits using only the arguments put forth by the merging parties.
Jerome Wilson, Maziv’s attorney, contended that the updated agreement between the commission and the merging parties should be considered an addition to the original agreement rather than its replacement.
He insisted that the tribunal had misconstrued essential evidence, such as internal reports and the testimony of Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub.
Additionally, Vodacom and Maziv charged that the tribunal had ignored the larger context of the merger’s potential benefits, particularly in extending fibre access to underserved communities, and had selectively used data to support a predetermined conclusion.
Respite for Maziv
With the acquisition now approved, Maziv will receive significant new funding to speed up its fibre rollout throughout South Africa, focusing on underserved areas and townships.
This is consistent with Maziv’s long-standing objective to increase the number of communities with high-speed internet access and create an inclusive digital infrastructure.
The agreement positions Vodacom and Maziv to lead the way in forming South Africa’s digital future and establishes a standard for navigating intricate telecom mergers through strategic compromise and regulatory cooperation.