The Competition Commission of South Africa is the statutory body responsible for investigating and regulating mergers, anti-competitive practices, and market abuse across all sectors of the economy, including telecommunications. For the telecoms industry, the Commission’s decisions on mergers, acquisitions, and market conduct directly affect the competitive landscape in which resellers and service providers operate.
The Vodacom-Maziv Merger
The most significant telecoms-related matter before the Competition Commission in recent years has been the Vodacom-Maziv merger — Vodacom’s proposed acquisition of a 30% stake in Maziv (the entity that controls Dark Fibre Africa and Vumatel). The R13.2 billion transaction went through a protracted regulatory process spanning more than three years.
The Competition Commission initially raised concerns that the merger would substantially lessen competition across multiple markets. However, following extensive negotiations, the Commission reversed its position after Vodacom and Maziv presented enhanced commitments. The Competition Appeal Court ultimately approved the transaction in August 2025.
Key conditions attached to the approval include Vodacom’s commitment to invest R60 billion over five years to achieve 90% 5G population coverage, including at least 564 new 5G sites annually. Additional conditions require providing free, uncapped wholesale fibre-to-the-home services to all public and private schools, and extending broadband connectivity to over 1,500 healthcare facilities, 210 libraries, and 100 police stations nationwide.
The decision has faced parliamentary scrutiny, with questions raised about the decision-making processes of both the Competition Commission and ICASA in relation to the merger.
Broader Telecoms Oversight
Beyond individual mergers, the Competition Commission monitors market conduct in the telecommunications sector, including pricing practices, exclusionary behaviour, and market concentration. The Commission has historically conducted market inquiries and investigations into data pricing, mobile termination rates, and broadband market dynamics.
Why The Competition Commission Matters for SA Telecoms Resellers
The Competition Commission’s decisions shape the structural landscape of the telecoms market. Merger approvals determine which companies control infrastructure, spectrum, and customer relationships. The Vodacom-Maziv decision, for example, has implications for wholesale fibre access and pricing that directly affect ISPs and resellers who purchase connectivity from fibre network operators.
Resellers should monitor Competition Commission proceedings related to telecoms mergers and market conduct, as these decisions can alter wholesale pricing, infrastructure access terms, and the competitive dynamics of the markets in which they operate.
More information is available at compcom.co.za.
About the Author
Mechelle Gindra
Mechelle Gindra is the managing editor and lead content strategist at Telecoms-Channel, South Africa's dedicated intelligence platform for telecoms resellers, ICT distributors, and channel partners. She oversees the editorial team's AI-assisted content production pipeline, ensuring vendor news, market analysis, and regulatory updates are accurate, timely, and actionable for the SA telecoms channel community. With deep expertise in the South African telecoms reseller ecosystem, Mechelle directs coverage of vendor partner programmes, ICASA regulatory developments, wholesale market dynamics, and channel business strategy. She is responsible for maintaining Telecoms-Channel's editorial standards, fact-checking processes, and corrections policy.
