In brief
Our latest Doing Business in South Africa Guide outlines some of the principal matters affecting an overseas entity that wishes to establish and operate a business in the country. The Guide offers a range of practical advice and useful guidance for entities seeking to do business in the country.
Key takeaways
The guide outlines the processes involved in:
- Establishing a legal entitiy
- Tax
- Broad-based black economic empowerment
- Exchange control
- Anti-bribery and corruption
- Competition law
- Labour law
- Employment visas for foreign national employees
- Health and safety
- Environmental law
- Banking & Finance
Our Johannesburg office was launched in 2012 and has since grown to more than 120 lawyers and business services staff, offering a full-service legal practice. Our lawyers offer deep knowledge of South Africa’s local markets and the cultural and social customs in this diverse and vibrant country. Through our diversity, our global one team approach, our values-based culture and our collective vision, we differentiate ourselves as solutions-driven lawyers operating at the heart of an increasingly connected world.
You can download the Guide here.
Author
Lerisha Naidu
Lerisha Naidu is the managing partner and head of Baker McKenzie's Antitrust & Competition Practice Group in Johannesburg. She acts on a diverse array of matters across various industries spanning several African jurisdictions.
Lerisha advises and represents international and domestic clients in mergers and acquisitions, prohibited practices (including cartel-related matters), and compliance and risk mitigation. She has appeared before the Competition Tribunal of South Africa in merger proceedings, and has also worked on matters relating to clients involved in Tribunal proceedings.
Lerisha has acted in several high-profile matters involving industry-wide and global cartels (eg. in the construction, aviation and gas industries), interim relief applications, contested mergers and dawn raids. She has also participated in a number of compliance initiatives, including training sessions for firms' employees related to competition risk mitigation.
Lerisha was named Southern Africa Partner of the Year at the African Legal Awards in 2023 - cited for the legal excellence, innovation and leadership that embodies her work. She was also acknowledged on the 2019 list of 100 Most Influential Young South Africans as well as the Mail & Guardian list of Top 200 Young South Africans, and was commended in the Partner of the Year Private Practice category at the African Legal Awards in 2021.
Lerisha also leads the Diversity and Inclusion portfolio in Johannesburg, as well as its pro bono and corporate social responsibility pillars.
