Headed up by Paul Coetser, Werksmans Attorneys’s 'highly competent' competition team handles merger regulation, antitrust litigation, and public-interest matters. Coetser advises on regulatory proceedings, merger approvals, and competition litigation, notably in the telecoms, IT, financial services, and e-commerce industries. Paul Cleland focuses on investigations and compliance, Ahmore Burger-Smidt assists telecommunications clients and boasts extensive regulatory expertise, Rudolph Raath handles anticompetitive conduct complaints, and Nkonzo Hlatshwayo often represents clients in merger proceedings. Pieter Steyn, Graeme Wickins, Dominique Arteiro, and Phuti Mashalane also feature as key contacts in the group.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: NPS ®
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Highly competent individuals.'
- ‘Highly skilled competition lawyers. Very pragmatic and hands on.'
- ‘Paul Coetser is an excellent guy. Nice chap and top-notch antitrust lawyer.’
- ‘Excellent knowledge of South African competition law.'
- ‘Graeme Wickins has always delivered on results quickly and understood the brief.'
Key clients
- Audatex Proprietary Limited
- Heineken South Africa (RF) Proprietary Limited
- Glencore
- Karsten Namibia Agriculture (Proprietary) Limited
- MultiChoice South Africa Proprietary Limited
- Nedbank Limited
- Reunert ICT Holdings Proprietary Limited
- SuperSport International Proprietary Limited
- Professional Provident Society Limited
- Vitol Holding II S.A.
- Samsung Electronics
Work highlights
Acted as competition advisers to Vitol which intends, through the subsidiary Vitol Emerald Bidco Pty Ltd, to acquire a controlling shareholding in Engen Limited from Petronas.
Assisted MTN with the intervention in a complex transaction between Vodacom Proprietary Limited and Business Venture Investments No 2213 Proprietary Limited, also known as Maziv.
Advised Nedbank on its acquisition of Eqstra Investment Holdings Proprietary Limited, one of the largest financial services institutions in South Africa.
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Nkonzo Hlatshwayo
Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Lwazi Mtshilibe
Practice head
Paul Coetser
Other key lawyers
Paul Cleland; Ahmore Burger-Smidt; Rudolph Raath; Nkonzo Hlatshwayo; Pieter Steyn; Graeme Wickins; Dominique Arteiro; Phuti Mashalane; Lwazi Mtshilibe