Vodacom, South Africa’s second-largest telecom operator, and fibre company Maziv are taking their blocked merger deal to court in July 2025, hoping to overturn a decision that has stalled their fibre expansion plans for more than three years.
Vodacom first announced its plan to acquire a 30% stake in Maziv in 2021 to expand its fibre network across South Africa. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), the telecom regulator, initially approved the deal in 2022, citing that it would “be in the best interest of the public,” but the deal hit a roadblock a year later when the Competition Commission advised against it.
The Commission feared the merger would reduce competition, giving Vodacom too much control over the fibre market. In October 2024, South Africa’s Competition Tribunal, a regulatory body for competition-related disputes, blocked the deal, preventing Vodacom from acquiring Dark Fibre and Vumatel, wholesale and home-based fibre subsidiaries of Maziv, respectively.
Vodacom and Maziv appealed the Tribunal’s decision in November 2024, leading to a 26-day hearing. After months of deliberation, they have decided to take the fight to court in July 2025.
Mergers in South Africa take time. Between regulatory hurdles, competition concerns, and legal battles, major deals can drag on for years. Telecom firms argue that these delays slow infrastructure growth and discourage investment, while regulators insist they are necessary to protect market fairness.
Vodacom wants a stronger position in the fibre market, a key area as mobile data growth slows. Maziv sees the deal as a way to expand its fibre network with new capital. Both companies are betting on a courtroom victory, but the outcome remains uncertain.
Regardless of how the case ends, this battle will reshape South Africa’s telecom industry. If the merger goes through, it could trigger more industry consolidation. If the court upholds the block, it will serve as a warning: big corporations can’t push deals through without resistance.
