Digital Media & Electronic Communications

Wendy Rosenberg

Head of Digital Media & Electronic Communications

Regulatory frameworks across Africa evolve rapidly. New platforms and business models continue to emerge. Regulatory scrutiny is intensifying, market consolidation is accelerating, sustainability obligations are expanding, and critical commercial decisions must often be taken under pressure.

Werksmans’ Digital Media & Electronic Communications (DMEC) team advises leading domestic and international clients on navigating complex regulatory environments and delivering commercially-grounded, cost-effective solutions to regulatory and compliance risk across South Africa and the continent.

Director Insight:

Our Approach

With more than 100 years’ collective experience, the team provides strategic advice guided by a deep understanding of each client’s commercial and legal objectives.

The practice takes into account differences in laws, institutional structures, policy priorities, regulatory culture, lawmaking procedures and enforcement approaches across African jurisdictions. It supports clients not only in responding to policy, legislation, regulations and licensing, but also in engaging constructively in their development.

The team combines deep sector knowledge with extensive experience engaging policymakers, lawmakers, regulators, and other authorities in fast-moving regulatory environments.

Director Insight:

Wendy Rosenberg

Head of Digital Media & Electronic Communications Law Practice

“Our ultimate aim is to add value and to contribute meaningfully to the development of sound policy, legislation and regulation, guided by international best practice, local imperatives, and practical experience in the environments in which our clients operate, to create an enabling environment in which businesses can thrive, to ensure that legislative and regulatory frameworks are enabling and provide the regulatory certainty and balance required to support investment and consumer protection.”

Why Werksmans

One of Africa’s most experienced and highly-regarded teams of trusted advisors on digital regulatory matters, with unrivalled breadth and depth of experience in digital media and electronic communications regulation across the continent.
Twice recognized as the African Legal Awards TMT Team of the Year (2019 and 2025), reflecting sustained market leadership and technical excellence across the continent.
Deep cross-border capability.
Integrated understanding of technology, communications, media, gaming, data and e-waste frameworks.
Strategic, board-level, commercially grounded and practical advice in plain language.

Our Work

The DMEC team advises on complex regulatory frameworks, high-impact multi-territorial transactions, disputes, and strategic governance matters shaping digital markets across the continent.

The team frequency provides comprehensive representation and strategic “behind the scenes” advisory support in proceedings before parliamentary portfolio committees, regulators, authorities and civil courts.

Its in depth and hands on cross-border experience spans numerous African jurisdictions, including Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zanzibar and Zimbabwe.

Director Insight:

Recognition

Several members of the team have been consistently recognised by leading international legal directories for expertise in telecommunications, media, and communications, with experience and expertise extending to jurisdictions across Africa.

According to Chambers Global:

“This is an area that is very specialized and can be very technical and Werksmans Attorneys handles it well. The team is very vigorous and robust.”

“Werksmans Attorneys’ breadth is a real strength. The team is very easy to engage with and willing to help us.”

“Werksmans Attorneys is excellent, meticulous and very efficient. It really produces high-quality and utterly reliable work.”

“Werksmans Attorneys has a well-established media and communication practice with leading expertise across a broad array of regulatory and compliance matters in the broadcasting space. The law firm possesses extensive experience assisting significant African broadcasters and media companies in South Africa and across the Sub-Saharan region. It has a noteworthy track record of representing clients in licences and consumer protection issues.”

Our Clients

The team advises

Terrestrial and satellite broadcasters, video on demand platforms, and licensed content providers
Electronic communications (Telecommunications) services and electronic communications network operators, including infrastructure investors and satellite service providers
Digital platforms and technology companies
Gambling, betting and gaming services
Leading sports bodies
Manufacturers and distributors of electronic communications equipment
Advertisers and sponsors
Public interest organisations

Clients operate across South Africa and throughout Africa, including global businesses entering or expanding within African markets.

Service Lines

Gambling and Betting

Advising on the licensing, regulation and taxation of online betting and land-based gambling, ensuring compliance with applicable national legislation and diverse provincial gaming frameworks.

Read more – Online Betting – Werksmans Attorneys

Licensing & Market Entry

We advise on licensing and authorisation requirements and strategy for all forms of digital media and electronic communications service providers, including broadcasting, telecommunications, electronic communications services and networks, OTT platforms, radio frequency spectrum assignment and satellite coordination, as well as film distributors, game distributors, gambling and betting operators, and cross-border market entry across African jurisdictions. We provide legal and strategic advice on optimal structuring and related matters, draft licence applications and related documents, and provide regulatory support before, during and after the licensing / authorisation process.

Compliance, Governance & Emerging Regulation

We design and implement compliance frameworks for media, gaming and digital services businesses, addressing film and game classification, advertising restrictions, e-waste and environmental obligations such as ewaste, intermediary liability, AI governance, and emerging technology regulation.

Transactions, Ownership & Structuring

We advise on, and secure regulatory approvals arising from mergers, acquisitions and restructurings of corporate groups with licensed entities, advise on ownership and control restrictions (including sector-specific ownership and control requirements and B-BBEE considerations), conduct sector-specific regulatory due diligence, and advise on infrastructure sharing and market access arrangements. We advise on the full spectrum of regulatory requirements, from inception, including structuring, regulatory approvals and post-transaction implementation, notifications and compliance.

Public Policy & Regulatory Engagement

We review draft policy, legislation and regulatory instruments, prepare submissions and position papers, represent clients in public hearings, and engage with regulators and parliamentary bodies on all aspects of sector regulation, reform and liberalisation initiatives.

Enforcement & Dispute Resolution

We represent clients in regulatory investigations, enforcement proceedings and judicial review challenges, and manage high-risk administrative and constitutional disputes in politically and commercially sensitive matters.

Content, Platforms & Intellectual Property

We advise on content regulation on all platforms, including broadcasting and audiovisual regulation, online safety, e‑commerce and intermediary liability, gambling, betting and esports frameworks, anti-piracy strategies and tools, brand and regulatory risk management, and the protection, monetisation and classification of digital content, including music rights, copyright, and performers’ protection rights, as well as advertising and sponsorships.

Infrastructure, Spectrum & Cross-Border Strategy

We provide strategic advice on radio frequency spectrum regulation, infrastructure sharing, network access and competition interfaces in electronic communications markets, as well as multi-jurisdictional regulatory coordination across Africa.