Although restraints of trade typically afford protection against employees joining competitors, . . . there exists no reason why a supplier restraint should not be recognised. The rationale for enforcing restraints depends first and foremost on the protection to the business afforded by the restraint, rather than focussing necessarily on whom the protection operates against. Thus, there can be restraints against poaching employees rather than only against soliciting customers, and either of those two can be enforced against someone who is nonetheless permitted to take up employment with a competitor. Similarly, a restraint against disclosure of confidential information is not confined to disclosure to a competitor, but must operate to protect against disclosure to any party which can utilise that knowledge to the prejudice of the goodwill of the business in favour of which the restraint has been obtained.
Myburgh AJ in Vox Telecommunications (Pty) Ltd v Steyn (Internet solutions) (J1149/15) [2015] ZALCJHB 278 (4 September 2015) at para [34].