The Competition Tribunal of South Africa has once again extended interim relief granted to payment processor Depansum Pty Ltd in its dispute with Visa, marking the third such extension since February 2024.
Under the latest order, issued on 12 August, the relief will remain in force until the earliest of three events: the conclusion of the Tribunal hearing into Depansum’s allegations, a successful appeal by Visa against the relief at the Competition Appeal Court, or six months from the date of the order.
Depansum, which provides e-commerce payment processing for offshore merchants selling into South Africa, accuses Visa of abusing its market dominance by enforcing network rules that prevent banks — in this case Nedbank — from using its payment system. It argues the conduct violates the Competition Act by inducing banks not to deal with it and harming consumers.
Visa disputes the allegations, saying Depansum’s local collecting activities breach South African exchange control laws and that it will not allow its network to be linked to potentially unlawful transactions. It also contends that Depansum has not shown any anti-competitive effects from Visa’s enforcement of its rules.
The Tribunal originally granted interim relief in February 2024 after finding there was a prima facie case that Visa’s conduct could be anti-competitive and that the balance of convenience favoured Depansum. The order was extended in August 2024 and February 2025, with both applications unopposed.
The Competition Commission’s investigation into the alleged prohibited practices is ongoing.
