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Podcast: TechCentral
Episode: Finally! Reasons the Vodacom fibre deal was blocked
Description: It’s many months late, but the Competition Tribunal has finally released its reasons document – or at least, a non-confidential version – outlining why it decided to block Vodacom’s acquisition of a co-controlling stake in fibre operator Maziv.
The tribunal last October shocked the merging parties – and the telecommunications industry – when it announced it had agreed with the Competition Commission’s recommendation that the proposed multibillion-rand acquisition of Maziv, which owns Vumatel and Dark Fibre Africa, be blocked on competition grounds.
Vodacom, which has appealed the decision at the competition appeal court, had made an offer to buy 30% of Maziv – and...