ENSafrica’s dedicated corporate commercial team is the largest in Africa and services leading clients across the full spectrum of business mergers and major deals on the continent.

We have the capacity to work simultaneously on many substantial M&A deals, in addition to medium and small transactions.

Our key differentiator is our deep expertise and extensive experience in advising on the legal aspects of doing business in Africa, through our in-depth knowledge of the complexities and nuances of the legal and regulatory frameworks in each country, and across borders.

We have the unique advantage, as part of Africa’s largest law firm, of being able to harness the expertise of more than 600 practitioners throughout the continent. ENSafrica has a significant breadth and depth of experience and specialist expertise that spans all commercial areas of law, tax, forensics and IP.

Over 200 years experience Over 600 practitioners 12 offices in 7 countries

As such, we regularly partner with specialists across the firm, meaning that we are able to assist with all aspects of all matters across all sectors in all African jurisdictions, ensuring that your legal requirements are handled quickly and seamlessly.

By adding financial, tax, competition, regulatory and employment law expertise to our offering, we have become known for our value-generating role in corporate restructuring and commercial contracts in industries as varied as mining, energy, retail and telecommunications.

Our wide range of clients from the public and private sectors includes large listed companies, multinational corporations, international agencies, state-owned enterprises, government departments and non-governmental organisations.

large group with a deep bench of experienced practitioners and an excellent reputation … comprehensive multi-jurisdictional capabilities
Chambers Global

what we offer

We provide a broad range of corporate commercial and transactional services, including:

  • 2008 Companies Act and the King Reports on Corporate Governance (South Africa)
  • broad-based black economic empowerment (South Africa)
  • capital markets
  • company / business sales and purchases
  • corporate formations and structuring
  • corporate restructuring
  • drafting, negotiating and reviewing all forms of commercial and business contracts
  • due diligence investigations (corporate, commercial and human resources)
  • duties and responsibilities of directors and officers, and other corporate governance aspects
  • general commercial advisory
  • guidance in engaging the statutory and regulatory environments affecting listed public and other companies
  • joint ventures
  • legal compliance
  • management buy-outs
  • mergers and acquisitions
  • private equity and venture capital
  • privatisations
  • schemes of arrangement
  • share incentive schemes
  • stock exchange listings, de-listings and continued compliance, including dual listing regulations
  • takeovers
  • trade agreements
pull qote
the firm is frequently involved in the biggest deals in the market
Chambers Global
Pull quote
Pull quote
with credibility across Africa, ENSafrica is praised for its extensive and in-depth knowledge, pragmatic and wide-ranging skills and interactive and consultative approach
Legal 500
Pull quote
Pull quote
seamless collaboration across the various expert practice areas within the firm to deliver an outstanding client experience. In particular, the collaboration between the commercial practice team and the competition team has especially been world class
IFLR1000
Pull quote

experiENS

2021 DEAL OF THE YEAR
USD2.7-billion acquisition by Vodacom of a 55% stake in Vodafone Egypt. This deal won the 2021 DealMakers Deal of the Year Award.
ZAR35-BILLION ACQUISITION
ZAR35-billion acquisition by the Vodacom Group of a 34.94% stake in East African telecommunications operator Safaricom. This deal won the 2017 DealMakers Deal of the Year Award.
USD2.5-BILLION ACQUISITION
USD2.5-billion acquisition of the Stillwater Mining Company in the United States of America by South Africa’s Sibanye Gold, transforming it into a global mining giant. This deal won the 2016 DealMakers Deal of the Year Award.
USD1.05-BILLION ACQUISITION
USD1.05-billion acquisition by Sanlam Emerging Markets (Ireland), via a subsidiary joint venture with insurer Santam, of Moroccan financial services holding company Saham S.A. and Saham Finances S.A., which operates in 33 countries across Africa, Europe and the Middle East, with merger notifications in numerous countries. (Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Senegal,Seychelles, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe).
ZAR52-BILLION DIVESTMENT
ZAR52-billion divestment of Absa from Barclays by Barclays Bank plc, involving Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, the United Kingdom and Zambia.
ZAR38.8-BILLION RESTRUCTURE
ZAR38.8-billion restructure of the Distell Group’s multi-tiered ownership and Capevin’s interest in Distell.
ZAR21-BILLION B-BBEE SCHEME
ZAR21-billion broad-based black economic empowerment ownership scheme by Sasol and Sasol South Africa.
ZAR11.9-BILLION DISPOSAL
ZAR11.9-billion disposal of Unilever South Africa’s margarine and spreads business in Southern Africa to Remgro’s nominee entity, KKR.
USD300-MILLION DISPOSAL
USD300-million disposal of South African assets by AngloGold Ashanti to Coreland Property Investment Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Harmony Gold Mining Company.
USD203.9-MILLION DISPOSAL
USD203.9-million disposal by global energy giant Engen of its operations in nine countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
ACQUISITION OF SHARES
Acquisition by Investec Asset Management and RMB Ventures Seven of 72% of shares in Kamoso Distribution which were owned by Standard Chartered Private Equity and Development Capital Partners. This deal was shortlisted for the 2017 Dealmakers Private Equity Deal of the Year Award.
knowledge of our business, understanding of our needs and requirements, and promptness
IFLR1000

contact

expertise

expertise

African regulatory and business intelligence
agribusiness
Asia
aviation
banking and finance
Broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE)
competition/antitrust
corporate commercial
dispute resolution
employment
environment
fiduciary
fintech
forensics
immigration
India
insolvency, business rescue and debt recovery
insurance
intellectual property (IP)
intelligENS
mine and occupational health and safety
mining
private clients
private equity
pro bono and corporate social investment
project development and project finance
real estate / property
shipping, ports and logistics
tax
technology, media and telecommunications