The environment for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in South Africa is far less clement than in previous years due to the harsh current economic climate and the global credit and liquidity crunches. These constraints have reduced the economy’s growth and led to a sharp decrease in M&A activity. The fundraising appetite for domestic financial investments is increasing, however, leading to more opportunities for the growth of small and medium-sized business, which remains relatively active. Larger players are still on the look-out for quality assets with long-term growth potential.