DLA Piper has represented South Africa's leading banks in the acquisition by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB), Capitec Bank and Investec Bank of shares in the South African Bankers Services Company (PayInc, formerly known as BankServ), Africa's leading automated clearing house (ACH).
Our corporate team supports South African, African and international companies including some of the world’s leading enterprises, emerging startups and financial institutions in their development and investment activities.
From mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and venture capital to private and public equity and debt offerings, we assist clients through all stages of their transactions to ensure successful deal outcomes, be they domestic or cross-border.
Our clients benefit from a valuable combination of global insight and local knowledge of the South African market that allows us to handle all aspects of corporate transactions. Understanding the industry and the day-to-day issues faced by our clients is critical to our success. That is why alongside our legal experience, our corporate lawyers have an additional industry-specific focus - whether it is banking and financial services, consumer goods and retail, healthcare, hospitality and leisure, insurance, manufacturing, technology or other sectors.
Our team's particular areas of focus are:
- External growth strategies and internal corporate restructuring
- Joint ventures, foreign partnerships and investments into and out of Africa
- M&A, both public and private
- Private equity transactions
- Equity and debt capital markets
- Public company and corporate governance
Experience has included advising:
- FirstRand, South Africa’s largest financial services institution, in the GBP1.1 billion acquisition of Aldermore Group PLC, a British specialist lender and savings bank.
- Royal Reesink, one of Europe's largest distributors of machinery for agriculture, landscape maintenance and golf courses, on their acquisition of all the issued shares of Smith Mining Equipment (Pty) Ltd, a South African company representing worldwide leading brands in the specialist machinery, turf maintenance and off-road vehicle market.
- TMH Africa, a subsidiary of Transmashholding, the largest manufacturer of rolling stock in Russia, partially owned by the Black Economic Empowerment partner, MJISA, on the acquisition of a 45,000 sqm DCD rolling stock manufacturing facility in South Africa from DCD Group.
- AFGRI Holdings (Pty) Ltd in its successful bid to acquire the entire stake (99.81%) of the National Bank of Greece S.A. and its subsidiary, the South African Bank of Athens.
- Dimension Data UK Investments Ltd on their acquisition of 75% of the shares in e2y Limited across South Africa, Spain, US and Denmark.
- As a part of a team, Accel-AKKR on the acquisition of Sequent and the subsequent Sequent acquisition of Geosoft. The transaction took place across Canada, the UK, Australia, South Africa, the USA, Russia, Peru, Chile and Brazil. This transaction won M&A Transaction of the Year Award at the 2019 INFINZ Awards in New Zealand.
- A financial services holding company and a South African bank in concluding a joint venture agreement in terms of which they will offer expanded financial services solutions to their respective customers.
- A South African bank in the disposal of its branded credit card business to an a newly formed South African bank.
- A UK based holding company in the sale its assets in a technology and software company across multiple countries.
- A Namibian bank on the acquisition of a Namibian financial services group that provides investment and wealth management services.
- Chambers Global (2018-2025) – Ranked in Corporate / M&A, Band 2. Sources shared that "The legal advice and services received are always of the highest quality and of an exceptional standard. Matters are dealt with in an efficient manner, with priority given where needed." adding that "DLA Piper has a really practical, commercially minded team."
Another highlighted the group's client service, saying: "DLA Piper's corporate team offers good value for money. I have a very good impression of the service; I have worked with them for a number of years and always recommend them to our clients." - Legal500 (2018-2024) – Ranked in Commercial, corporate and M&A, Tier 2. Sources say "The team is diverse and is able to collaborate excellently across disciplines. The firm makes use of technology to create efficiency."
DLA Piper advised Remgro Limited, a leading South African investment holding company, and its subsidiaries on a share subscription and exchange transaction with eMedia Holdings Limited (eMedia), a company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), and the subsequent unbundling by Remgro of the eMedia shares it received from eMedia to Remgro's shareholders (Transaction).
DLA Piper was ranked as the 3rd most active law firm for South African M&A (by deal value) at the annual Ansarada DealMakers Awards held on 18 February. DealMakers tracks and records M&A activity across South Africa and the rest of Africa. The awards are calculated based on the number of transactions involving Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed entities. Additionally, the firm advised Multichoice, a South Africa-based pay-TV operator, on its acquisition by the French broadcaster, Canal. The transaction was named Deal of the Year award at the Ansarada DealMakers Awards. The acquisition is the latest media M&A deal in Africa, and values MultiChoice at R55bn. The acquisition will also allow the sharing of African content with global audiences – allowing it to compete on an international scale. Additionally, the transaction enables Canal+ to expand its existing pan-African footprint. Canal+ currently has about 31.5 million subscribers in over 50 countries. The acquisition will also allow the sharing of African content with global audiences – allowing it to compete on an international scale. Johannes Gouws, Country Managing Partner, commented: “Walking away with this highly prestigious award is testament not only to our firm's strategy, but also showcases the strength of our cross-practice offerings to clients and underscores why DLA Piper has maintained its top M&A position globally for 15 years; and for the past two years across Africa and the Middle East, in the annual MergerMarket M&A rankings by deal volume. It also highlights our growing strength and expanding presence in the South African market.”
DLA Piper and AVAdvisory have advised ASP Isotopes Inc (ASPI) on its proposed acquisition of all the issued shares in Renergen Limited (Renergen), a JSE-listed natural gas operation, as well as its intended secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).
DLA Piper was ranked as the 3rd most active law firm for South African M&A (by deal value) at the annual Ansarada DealMakers Awards held on 18 February. DealMakers tracks and records M&A activity across South Africa and the rest of Africa. The awards are calculated based on the number of transactions involving Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed entities.