Competition Law
Competition law is the body of legislation and regulation that governs market competition, prohibits anticompetitive conduct, and promotes fair trading practices. It seeks to prevent monopolies, cartels, price-fixing, market abuse and other practices that distort competition or harm consumers. Competition law typically empowers regulators to investigate mergers and acquisitions, impose remedies for anticompetitive behaviour, and sanction firms that breach the rules. In South Africa, the Competition Act of 1998 establishes the framework, creating the Competition Commission to investigate and the Competition Tribunal to adjudicate cases. The law applies across all sectors of the economy and aims to balance efficiency, competitiveness and equity. Enforcement includes fines, structural remedies and, in some jurisdictions, criminal penalties for cartel conduct. Competition law is a cornerstone of modern market economies, ensuring that businesses compete on merit rather than through collusion or dominance. It intersects with consumer protection, industrial policy and trade regulation, and its application is often contested in high-profile merger reviews and abuse-of-dominance cases.
Competition Law Updates
South Africa: Merger notification thresholds and filing fees increase from 1 May 2026
12th May 2026 South Africa’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition has, in a notice, published revised merger notification thresholds and filing fees under... →
South Africa’s Digital Markets Regime Has Arrived and it Lives Inside Competition Law
31st March 2026 The debate about whether South Africa should regulate digital platforms is over. The Competition Commission has moved decisively from theory to... →
How agricultural economists can support the sector
25th March 2026 Agriculture is a key sector of the South African economy. Research institutions play a crucial role in generating evidence that can inform... →
The blueprint for integrity: Redesigning South Africa’s criminal justice engine
24th March 2026 In the inaugural edition of Espresso Briefs, a monthly deep-dive hosted by law firm Nortons Inc., Anthony Norton and Michelle Rawlinson sat down... →
COMESA: Commission publishes practice note on new merger control regime
16th January 2026 The COMESA Competition and Consumer Commission (CCCC) has issued Practice Note No. 1 of 2026 (Practice Note) to clarify how the new merger control... →
Evaluating the public interest effects of a merger: The Competition Appeal Court charts the course
12th December 2025 When evaluating a merger, the Competition Act 89 of 1998 (“the Act“) mandates that the competition authorities apply a two-pronged test. The first... →
COMESA publishes important new Competition Regulations
12th December 2025 The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has recently issued far‑reaching new regulations expected to impact the way that... →
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