Billionaire Johann Rupert’s oldest company to take control of private hospital giant in R15.7 billion deal

The Competition Tribunal has approved Remgro’s acquisition of Mediclinic International, giving the investment giant sole ownership over the Intercare group of companies and ER24 EMS.

This transaction was first announced in December 2025, with Remgro informing shareholders that it had entered into a deal with Investment Holding Limited (IHL), a subsidiary of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company.

Through this deal, Remgro, chaired by billionaire businessman Johann Rupert, and IHL are restructuring their interests in the combined Mediclinic group, with Remgro set to become the sole owner of Mediclinic International.

Prior to the deal, IHL and Remgro were co-shareholders in Mediclinic Holdings, holding 50% of the company’s issued shares each.

Mediclinic Holdings consists of several member companies, including the Swiss-based Hirslanden Group and the South African-based Mediclinic International Group.

With the deal now approved, IHL is set to own 100% of Hirslanden, and Remgro will own 100% of Mediclinic International.

Both the Hirslanden Disposal and the MCSA Acquisition have a baseline purchase consideration of $950 million (R15.71 billion) each.

Mediclinic International is a private hospital group operating in South Africa and Namibia, focused on providing acute, specialist-oriented, multidisciplinary hospital services.

The group operates around 50 hospitals, 15 day clinics, 6 sub-acute and 6 mental health facilities throughout South Africa and 3 private hospitals in Namibia, with more than 8,991 beds.

Remgro’s stake in the company will include all of Mediclinic International’s subsidiaries, such as the Intercare group of companies and ER24 EMS.

After announcing the deal, Remgro explained that changes in the healthcare industry are creating new opportunities and expectations for quality and breadth of services.

At the same time, pricing and regulatory pressures are intensifying across the global healthcare market.

In light of these changes, Remgro and IHL found that assuming full ownership in their respective home markets will allow each company to better tailor their strategies to local market dynamics.

“This will also better position both businesses to unlock value through their strengthened local partnerships and brand presence,” Remgro said.

“Remgro and IHL remain strongly aligned in their common desire to invest for the long term in the private healthcare sector broadly.”

The Competition Tribunal has approved the deal, though this approval is subject to employment-related conditions.

The Competition Commission recommended that the Tribunal approve the deal on the condition that the merger parties shall not retrench any permanent or fixed-term contract employees as a result of the merger for the duration of a moratorium period.