Harith Secures Competition Tribunal Approval for FlySafair Takeover

Harith Secures Competition Tribunal Approval for FlySafair Takeover. Harith Aviation Consortium has secured Competition Tribunal approval to acquire full ownership of Safair Holdings, the parent company of South African low-cost airline FlySafair, in a transaction expected to be completed towards the end of 2026.

The approval, granted on 27 October 2026, is subject to conditions, with the parties still required to obtain outstanding regulatory approvals and fulfil the remaining requirements before the transaction can close.

The acquisition will bring FlySafair under South African investment ownership through Harith Aviation Consortium, marking an expansion of Harith’s interests into commercial aviation.

The Competition Commission recommended approval in July, subject to safeguards addressing potential competition concerns linked to Harith’s interest in Lanseria International Airport.

The conditions include restrictions on sharing commercially sensitive information and requirements for airport-related and airline-related goods and services supplied to other airlines at Lanseria to be provided on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms.

The Tribunal has approved the transaction subject to conditions, although its detailed reasons for the decision have not yet been published.

Harith General Partners chief executive Sipho Makhubela said the acquisition represents a long-term investment in a South African business and provides capital to support FlySafair’s next growth phase.

Harith has invested in infrastructure sectors including rail, airport operations, logistics and border-post management over the past 20 years. The airline acquisition adds commercial aviation to its investment portfolio.

FlySafair chief executive Elmar Conradie welcomed the Tribunal’s decision, describing it as an important milestone in the acquisition process.

He said the airline would continue operating under its existing management team, maintaining its low-cost business model and customer offering.

Conradie added that operations had continued as usual throughout the transaction process and would remain unchanged while the outstanding requirements were addressed.

The parties are now working towards fulfilling the remaining conditions, with completion anticipated in late 2026, subject to the necessary approvals.