Cape Town – South Africa’s Competition Tribunal has approved Harith Aviation Consortium’s acquisition of budget airline FlySafair, paving the way for a deal valued at approximately R7 billion that is expected to close before the end of 2026.
The development gives the Pan-African investment group the green light to acquire 100% of Safair Holdings, FlySafair’s parent company, subject to outstanding regulatory approvals and conditions.
The transaction marks a significant step in Harith’s efforts to expand its transport infrastructure portfolio. The group already holds an interest in Lanseria International Airport.
Harith General Partners chief executive Sipho Makhubela said the acquisition was about more than buying an airline.
“It is a demonstration of long-term South African capital backing a successful South African business,” he said, adding that Harith intended to support FlySafair’s next phase of growth.
[STATEMENT]
Harith Aviation Consortium led by Harith General Partners, welcomes the Competition Tribunal’s approval of its proposed acquisition of a 100% stake in FlySafair.Read the full statement attached.
#HarithAfrica #FlySafair #Aviation #SouthAfrica #Africa https://t.co/qenI46DlU5
— Harith (@Harith_Africa) October 29, 2026
FlySafair chief executive Elmar Conradie described the tribunal’s decision as “a significant milestone for the transaction and reflects confidence in the future of the airline”.
He said the airline would continue operating under its existing management, retaining its low-cost business model and customer offering while the remaining conditions were fulfilled.
Competition concerns
The acquisition follows regulatory scrutiny of FlySafair’s ownership structure and concerns about competition in the aviation sector.
FlySafair controls more than 60% of South Africa’s domestic airline seating capacity, making it the country’s dominant domestic carrier. Its ownership arrangements had also faced challenges over compliance with South African rules requiring local airlines to meet domestic ownership requirements.
In July, the Competition Commission recommended approval of the acquisition subject to conditions intended to protect competition, as reported by EWN.
Those safeguards address Harith’s existing interest in Lanseria International Airport, including restrictions on exchanging commercially sensitive information and requirements that airport-related goods and services be provided to competing airlines on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms.
The conditions are intended to prevent FlySafair from gaining an unfair competitive advantage through Harith’s airport investment.
A major transport investment
The acquisition strengthens Harith’s presence in South Africa’s transport sector, complementing its interests in aviation infrastructure and rail operations.
The transaction comes after Harith’s earlier involvement in a proposed deal to acquire a controlling stake in state-owned South African Airways through the Takatso Consortium ended in 2024. That agreement was terminated by mutual consent after the parties failed to reach agreement on a revised transaction structure, according to the South African government.
Unlike the abandoned SAA transaction, the FlySafair deal has now cleared the Competition Tribunal, although completion remains subject to outstanding requirements.
Harith says its investment reflects the role of affordable air travel in supporting tourism, trade and economic activity. If completed as expected, the acquisition will place one of South Africa’s most prominent airlines under the control of a major African infrastructure investor while leaving its day-to-day operations unchanged.
Picture: X/@FlySafair
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Betha Madhomu
