DLA Piper ranks in top 3 legal advisors in South Africa

DLA Piper was ranked as the 3rd most active law firm for South African M&A (by deal value) at the annual Ansarada DealMakers Awards held on 18 February. DealMakers tracks and records M&A activity across South Africa and the rest of Africa. The awards are calculated based on the number of transactions involving Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed entities.

Additionally, the firm advised Multichoice, a South Africa-based pay-TV operator, on its acquisition by the French broadcaster, Canal. The transaction was named Deal of the Year award at the Ansarada DealMakers Awards.

The acquisition is the latest media M&A deal in Africa, and values MultiChoice at R55bn. The acquisition will also allow the sharing of African content with global audiences – allowing it to compete on an international scale. Additionally, the transaction enables Canal+ to expand its existing pan-African footprint. Canal+ currently has about 31.5 million subscribers in over 50 countries. The acquisition will also allow the sharing of African content with global audiences – allowing it to compete on an international scale.

Johannes Gouws, Country Managing Partner, commented: “Walking away with this highly prestigious award is testament not only to our firm's strategy, but also showcases the strength of our cross-practice offerings to clients and underscores why DLA Piper has maintained its top M&A position globally for 15 years; and for the past two years across Africa and the Middle East, in the annual MergerMarket M&A rankings by deal volume. It also highlights our growing strength and expanding presence in the South African market.”