News Flash | South African Merger Control Update: New Thresholds Effective 1 May 2026
- Business Sense
- 3 hours ago
- 1 min read
For the first time since 2017, South Africa’s merger notification thresholds and associated filing fees have been revised, with effect from 1 May 2026.
The revised thresholds are as follows:
Intermediate mergers
Combined annual turnover or asset value of the acquiring firm and target firm: increased from ZAR 600 million to ZAR 1 billion
Annual turnover or asset value of the target firm: increased from ZAR 100 million to ZAR 200 million
Large mergers
Combined annual turnover or asset value of the acquiring firm and target firm: increased from ZAR 6.6 billion to ZAR 9.5 billion
Annual turnover or asset value of the target firm: increased from ZAR 190 million to ZAR 280 million
These changes are likely to reduce the number of notifiable transactions at the intermediate level, offering dealmakers greater flexibility in structuring mid‑market transactions and reducing the regulatory burden. Transactions should be assessed against the updated thresholds for any implementation steps occurring on or after 1 May 2026.
Important: This summary is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It should not be relied upon as a substitute for specific legal guidance. For further information or tailored advice, please contact Ross Booth, Senior Associate at rbooth@coxyeats.co.za | +2731 536 8575 | +2772 536 1975
