EDDIE PARFETT RETIRING AS CHAIRMAN OF TRUWORTHS INTERNATIONAL

JUNE 9, 2000

TRUWORTHS INTERNATIONAL SAID TODAY EDDIE PARFETT WOULD AT HIS OWN REQUEST BE
RELINQUISHING THE POST OF NON EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN WITH EFFECT FROM JUNE 30, THE
END OF THE FINANCIAL YEAR. HE WOULD HOWEVER BE REMAINING A NON-EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE COMPANY, ITS PARENT WOOLTRU, AND SISTER COMPANIES TOPICS AND
CNA.

MICHAEL MARK, THE CEO OF TRUWORTHS INTERNATIONAL WHO WILL BECOME EXECUTIVE
CHAIRMAN, SAID PARFETT WAS ONE OF SOUTH AFRICA'S FOREMOST MERCHANDISERS AND
RETAILERS AND HAD PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THE GROUP'S GROWTH OVER THE PAST 18
YEARS.

MARK SAID PARFETT HAD HAD A DISTINGUISHED CAREER SINCE STARTING OUT AS A
WOOLWORTHS' TRAINEE IN 1961. HE HAD PROGRESSED THROUGH STORE MANAGEMENT AND
VARIOUS EXECUTIVE POSITIONS BEFORE BECOMING A MEMBER OF THE WOOLWORTHS BOARD IN
1975 AND SERVING AS MERCHANDISE DIRECTOR AND OPERATIONS DIRECTOR. HE WAS
APPOINTED MANAGING DIRECTOR OF TRUWORTHS IN 1982 AND HAD BECOME CHAIRMAN OF
TRUWORTHS INTERNATIONAL IN 1988.

"THE TRUWORTHS TEAM IS GRATEFUL TO EDDIE FOR HIS SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION OVER
THESE YEARS. WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT HE HAS AGREED TO CONTINUE HIS INVOLVEMENT AS
A NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CONSULTANT."
- ENDS  -
ISSUED FOR:  TRUWORTHS INTERNATIONAL

BY:          DE KOCK & KERKHOFF COMMUNICATION CONSULTANTS

ENQUIRIES:   CHRIS DURHAM, 021 - 460 7502/082 824 0280
             MIKE KERKHOFF, DEK&K, 082 882 8559