Tribunal clears DHL acquisition of three logistics and support services firms
The Competition Tribunal (“Tribunal”) has unconditionally approved the merger that will see DHL Supply Chain (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd (“DHL”) acquire full ownership of three firms: Vital Distribution Solutions (Pty) Ltd (“Vital Distribution”), Staffing Logistics (Pty) Ltd (“Staffing Logistics”) and Vital Fleet (Pty) Ltd (“Vital Fleet”). Once the transaction is implemented, DHL will have sole control over all three businesses.
DHL forms part of a global transport and logistics group offering a broad range of third-party services across multiple sectors. Its activities span international and domestic express delivery, import and export services, e-commerce solutions and specialised services such as on-demand delivery, hazardous materials handling and customs clearance. The group also provides freight transportation by road, air and sea, as well as logistics services including warehousing, inventory management, order fulfilment and distribution. These are complemented by custom packing, supply chain management and courier and express services including same-day delivery across sectors such as auto-mobility, energy, engineering, manufacturing, life sciences, retail and technology.
The target firms operate in related segments of the logistics and support services value chain. Vital Distribution offers road-based transport, distribution and warehousing services. Staffing Logistics provides temporary employment services to the transport, retail, hospitality and cleaning sectors. Vital Fleet offers fleet rental and management services.
Tribunal greenlights Shoprite’s acquisition of RA Cellular
The Tribunal has approved, without conditions, the merger in which Shoprite Financial Services Ltd (“Shoprite”) will acquire RA Cellular (Pty) Ltd (“RAC”), resulting in Shoprite obtaining sole control of RAC.
Shoprite forms part of a broader group with interests across South Africa’s retail and wholesale sectors, including groceries and pharmaceuticals, as well as financial services, furniture and travel-related offerings. The group’s financial services business is central to this transaction. It focuses on providing accessible and affordable financial services to a wide segment of the market, particularly customers who are underbanked or excluded from traditional banking systems. These services are provided through the group’s retail footprint under its “Money Market” offering.
RAC operates in the payments and value-added services space. It supplies point-of-sale devices that enable merchants to offer customers a range of prepaid products including airtime, electricity and other vouchers. In addition to its retail facing activities, RAC also supplies prepaid products on a wholesale basis to other distributors who, in turn, offer these through their own distribution networks.