SOUTH AFRICA FIRM BRIEFINGS Glyn Marais
2012 Firm Overview Cross-border matters
Congo (Republic of), Ghana, Liberia
Highlight clients Eskom, Total South Africa, Omnia Holdings, Rand Water Board
Most active disciplines Litigation, environmental, land, public and administrative
Key sectors Mining and metals, power, industry and manufacturing, water, sewage and utilities
Key partners Ernst Basson, Brian Frank, Willem de Villiers
Glyn Marais has an especially strong niche in mining and in the dia- mond sector, under Brian Frank and with regards to environmental law, under Ernst Basson. Basson, who has recently been advising clients such as Eskom and
the Rand Water Board, focuses on the environmental legal risks of min- ing, water law, air quality legislation, offset, climate change and renew- able energy, while Frank is well embedded in the diamond sector having sat on the South African Diamond Board for 20 years. Willem de Vil- liers focuses on the corporate and finance aspects on energy and infra- structure deals.
Matters Ernst Basson has been working with a team to advise Omnia Holdings on a range on environmental issues (contentious and non-contentious) related to fertilizer, chemical and explosives manufacturing and distri- bution for a number of mining companies. He has also undertaken similar work for African Explosives Mining Services. In 2012 Basson was advising Eskom on the development of an emis-
sions offset programme under the Air Quality Act and the Rand Water Board on water management rights and obligations. The firm was also instructed by Total South Africa, to advise on environmental liability of petroleum storage facilities in Namibia and South Africa, and a lead- ing mining company, to assist on environmental and health risks or substances in an iron ore mine.
Norton Rose (incoprorated as Deneys Reitz)
2012 Firm Overview Cross-border matters
Angola, Botswana, Congo (Republic of), Cote d’Ivoire, DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Highlight clients
Intikon Energy, Cennergi (Exxaro/Tata), Standard Bank of South Africa,
Most active disciplines Company and commercial, M&A and joint-ventures, banking, project finance, renewables finance, EPC, environmental, land
Key sectors Oil and gas, power, renewable energy, ports, rail
Key partners Matt Ash, Mike Dale, Jackie Midlane, Gavin Noeth
Deneys Reitz was one of the country’s biggest and leading firms before the merger with Norton Rose, which has added considerable clout in
terms of UK law support, network, resources and expertise. The result is that Norton Rose-Deneys Reitz has been the leading
firm in the South African Renewable Energy IPP Procurement Pro- gramme with instructions on active on over half of the projects. UK lawyers such as Arun Velusami and Madhavi Gosavi have leant valuable support throughout the process. The firm is strong in infrastructure projects and PPP (public-private partnership), using securitisation to limit risk, and has been advising on in relation to the South African nuclear programme. Specialist partners include Gavin Noeth, Mike Dale, Tim de Wet
(land law), Gary Rademeyer (construction), Tina Costas (environmen- tal).
Matters A team, which included Gavin Noeth, Bradley Harber, Muzi Kubeka, Tim de Wet, Tina Costas and Gary Rademeyer, among others, advised Intikon Energy, Kensani Capital Investments and Solar Reserve as lenders in two debt and equity financings, including project structur- ing, construction and development, for the 64MW Letsatsi and Lesedi solar power projects. Arun Velusami supported the team from London. Matt Ash, Jackie Midlane and team were assisting Cennergi
(Exxaro/Tata) as preferred bidders on the Amakhala Emoyeni RE P1 140MW wind farm, the largest in Africa, to be developed under South Africa’s renewables programme. Midlane also worked in a team to assist Standard Bank of South Africa in relation to a $205 million financing to Discovery Metals for the development of the Boseto Copper Mine, Botswana.
Werksmans Attorneys
2012 Firm Overview Cross-border matters
Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, DRC, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Highlight clients
Vestas Central Europe, GD Power Development, SunEdison, Sunbird Energy
Most active disciplines ADR, litigation, company and commercial, M&A and joint- ventures, private equity and funds, project finance, renewables finance, competition, EPC, employment, environmental, land
Key sectors
Mining and metals, power, renewables, industry and manufacturing, ports, rail, roads
Key partners Gareth Driver, Greg Nott, David Walker
Werksmans comes highly recommended by clients especially in the energy and mining sectors and for its depth of corporate expertise. The firm re- cently picked up some big new clients in the South African renewables programme and now boasts an experienced renewables practice. Clients recommend David Walker as a “very sharp transaction
lawyer… he has a lot of knowledge and brought in some good thoughts on the project we hadn’t considered”. Associate Patrick Mayer, who works with Walker, also drew praise as an “invaluable” advisor: “the level of service excellent and the key thing I liked is they really kept the team small”. Others recommend Gregory Nott as a “very capable lawyer”, the “very responsive” Roger Wakefield for contracting and EPC and Lize Louw, who “helped a lot in delivering documentation on financial close… keeping it sane, pushing back on some subjects and clarifying”. Clients also picked out Phumelele Madala, Deon Griessel, Happy
30 ENERGY & INFRASTRUCTURE | SUB SAHARAN AFRICA 2013
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