Faculty of Law · Specialised Master's Programme · 2027
LLM in Mercantile Law · Specialisation

Competition Law

A Mercantile Law specialisation focused on competition regulation, policy, digital markets, public interest and the evolving challenges of modern economies.

Qualification: LLM | Parent programme: Mercantile Law | Perspective: South African & African

About the Programme

Competition Law equips students to engage with substantive competition principles and enforcement while examining emerging questions around technology, data, platform markets, public interest and transformation.

QualificationLLM
Parent programmeMercantile Law
PerspectiveSouth African & African

Programme Information

The Competition Law specialisation gives students access to a niche area of legal practice that continues to grow in importance. South Africa has one of Africa's most active competition-law systems, with the Competition Commission, Competition Tribunal and Competition Appeal Court forming central parts of the enforcement and adjudication landscape.

Competition practice centres on horizontal restrictive practices, vertical restrictive practices, abuse of dominance and merger regulation. The field increasingly engages questions of jurisdiction, transformation, public interest, market inquiries, administrative penalties, digital markets and data.

The specialisation also considers the impact of Artificial Intelligence and technology on competition, including algorithmic pricing, multi-sided digital platforms, data-driven market power and the changing relationship between competition law and platform work.

Competition Law and Regulation

Substantive competition principles, enforcement, regulation and policy.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Competition and commercial-law dimensions of mergers, acquisitions and market consolidation.

Competition and Information Law

Competition issues arising from information, data, digital markets and technology.

Competition Law and Work

The relationship between competition law, labour markets and platform work.

Intellectual Property Law

Cross-cutting competition and intellectual-property questions.

The programme combines competition law with related fields including mergers and acquisitions, information law, labour law and intellectual property law. It has a strong South African and African focus, including regulation, policy and social justice, while giving students a strong research component through which to develop deeper expertise.

Programme Actions & Enquiries

Use the links below for application, programme and postgraduate admission information.