Department profile
Webber Wentzel

Banking & Finance: Regulatory

Global Guide 2026 : South Africa


Webber Wentzel

Rankings

About

Provided by Webber Wentzel

Our Banking and Finance practice is the pre-eminent finance practice in the South African market with a significant presence in the broader African market. We provide legal advisory services in the areas of general banking and finance (including capital markets), asset finance, project finance, and financial regulatory services. We act as counsel to mandated lead arrangers, lender groups, individual borrowers, borrower groups, and providers of security, on a wide range of complicated and high profile banking and finance transactions, including transactions relating to mezzanine funding, and have an extensive track record advising South African and international clients (including commercial banks, export credit agencies and development finance institutions) on their most challenging transactions. We are fundamentally a Lenders’ practice with circa 75% of our revenues attributable to Lender mandates. We are part of a large corporate firm and, as a result, also attend to selected, significant corporate / borrower mandates for legacy blue chip clients.

Contact: Khurshid Fazel, Partner ([email protected]).

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Banking & Finance: Regulatory - South Africa


What the Team is Known For
Webber Wentzel continues to operate at the upper end of this market, offering excellent full-spectrum banking and finance services. The team is active on both high-value refinancings and new loan transactions. It is known for its lender-side practice, where it acts for major banks as well as significant domestic and international financial corporations. The law firm offers impressive cross-border capabilities, enhanced by its alliance with Linklaters, enabling the representation of clients on an international scale.

Work Highlights

Provided by Chambers

  • Webber Wentzel advised Actis on a ZAR4.5 billion syndicated acquisition financing for the client's acquisition of Swiftnet from Telkom.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • The law firm stands out for its expediency, attention to detail, approachability and strong commercial prowess.

    Banking & Finance: Regulatory respondentGlobal
  • The scale, depth and knowledge of the team is good. The lawyers are practical and the advice is explained in a way understandable by non-legal people.

    Banking & Finance: Regulatory respondentGlobal
  • Webber Wentzel has a solution-focused approach as well as legal and financial structuring expertise.

    Banking & Finance: Regulatory respondentGlobal
  • The team has the ability to adapt quickly to changes during negotiations.

    Banking & Finance: Regulatory respondentGlobal

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Senior StatespeopleJohann Scholtz
    Senior StatespeopleJohann Scholtz

    Johann Scholtz

    Johann Scholtz holds significant expertise in the field of banking and financial services regulation. He is based in Johannesburg and his particular areas of expertise include derivatives.

  • Band 1Dawid de Villiers
    Band 1Dawid de Villiers

    Dawid de Villiers

    Dawid de Villiers is a well-regarded banking regulatory specialist. He is instructed by numerous clients from the financial services industry in relation to digital platforms and e-payment solutions, asset transfers and derivatives transactions.
  • Band 1Khurshid Fazel
    Band 1Khurshid Fazel

    Khurshid Fazel

    Khurshid Fazel is a top-tier practitioner who is regularly instructed by South African banking institutions to provide counsel on preference sustainability credit facilities. She is additionally sought out for her counsel on debt refinancing.

    • Khurshid Fazel is amazing and a really outstanding lawyer. She is the go-to lawyer to ensure everything goes smoothly.

      Banking & Finance: Regulatory respondentGlobal
  • Band 2Kathy Shepherd
    Band 2Kathy Shepherd

    Kathy Shepherd

    Kathy Shepherd is often instructed to advise on the provision of loan facilities and other finance transactions. She has notable experience advising large international banks as the lenders on debt restructuring mandates while also assisting borrowers with high-value refinancing matters.
    • Kathy Shepherd is phenomenal to work with on difficult transactions. She goes above and beyond.

      Banking & Finance: Regulatory respondentGlobal
    • Kathy Shepherd is very strategic. She is well versed in considering not only lender matters but advising borrowers as well, and is very good with the needs of both sides.

      Banking & Finance: Regulatory respondentGlobal
    • She is a very good lawyer who is thorough, hard working and highly experienced.

      Banking & Finance: Regulatory respondentGlobal

Ranked Individuals at Webber Wentzel (4)

South Africa

Members

Provided by Webber Wentzel

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