A Merger deal of the South African bottling operations of Coca-Cola and SABMiller has secured approval from the country’s Competition Tribunal, which will lead to the setting up of a new entity.

The firms involved in the deal include Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA), SABMiller, the Coca-Cola Company, and Gutsche Family Investments.

This approval comes after the signing of an agreement with the South African Government last week. As part of this agreement, the firms made commitments to help in the economic and social development of the country.

“As part of this agreement, the firms made commitments to help in the economic and social development of the country.”

The commitments were made on employment, localisation of production and inputs used in Coca-Cola products and Appletiser brands, empowering local people economically, and at the location of its headquarters in South Africa.

The companies also assured that the merged entity will retain its total permanent employment at present levels for a period of three years from the date of approval of the agreement.

The companies agreed to invest R800m ($53.8m) in enterprise development.

SABMiller CEO Alan Clark said: "The creation of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa is more than the creation of a company with common interests and a long term growth plan; the merger is set to deliver demonstrable benefits to South Africa by way of significant inward investment and additional tax revenues, job creation and a number of specific benefits that address the national imperatives of SMME creation, local procurement, transformation, and growth in the agricultural sector."