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Standard Bank Group/ Libhold/ Liberty Group - Sale By Standard Bank

Release Date: 18/06/2003 08:00
Code(s): LBH LGL SBK
Wrap Text

Standard Bank Group/ Libhold/ Liberty Group - Sale By Standard Bank Group And Liberty Group Of 25,2% Of Stanlib To An Empowerment Consortium Standard Bank Group Limited (Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa) (Registration number 1969/017128/06) Share code: SBK Namibian Share code: SNB ISIN: ZAE000038873 ("Standard Bank Group") Liberty Holdings Limited (Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa) (Registration number 1968/002095/06) Share code: LBH ISIN: ZAE000004032 ("Libhold") Liberty Group Limited (Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa) (Registration number 1957/002788/06) Share code: LGL ISIN: ZAE000024543 ("Liberty Group") Safika (Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa) (Registration number 1996/001693/07) ("Safika") STANLIB Limited (Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa) (Registration number 1996/014748/06) ("STANLIB" or "the Company") Simeka Investment Holdings (Proprietary) Limited (Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa) (Registration number 1996/002931/07) ("Simeka") Nduna Trust (Master"s reference number IT 12995/98) ("Nduna") SALE BY STANDARD BANK GROUP AND LIBERTY GROUP OF 25,2% OF STANLIB TO AN EMPOWERMENT CONSORTIUM 1. INTRODUCTION Standard Corporate and Merchant Bank is authorised to announce that Standard Bank Group and Liberty Group have entered into heads of agreement with a consortium led by Safika, which includes Nduna and Simeka and which will include a broad based empowerment trust ("BBET") (collectively, the "Consortium"), in terms of which the Consortium will acquire a 25,2% interest in STANLIB. A new limited liability company ("Newco") will be formed to hold the Consortium"s interest in STANLIB. In terms of the heads of agreement, Standard Bank Group and Liberty Group will each sell 12,6% of the issued ordinary shares of STANLIB to Newco (the "Transaction"), which shares shall rank pari passu in all respects with the remaining issued ordinary shares in STANLIB held by Standard Bank Group and Liberty Group. 2. THE CONSORTIUM The Consortium"s membership comprises parties from the empowerment sector of South Africa. A brief summary of the credentials of the members of the Consortium is set out below. 2.1 Safika Safika is an investment holding company, which focuses on making strategic investments and assisting with the management of such investments. It actively facilitates greater black shareholder participation in South Africa"s economic evolution, ensures black economic prosperity by forming strategic alliances and acquiring significant interests in viable business ventures and promotes black business empowerment and constructive community involvement. Safika has investments in the fields of communications, infrastructure, human capital, natural resources and financial services. The directors of Safika include Mr Saki Macozoma, Mr Moss Ngoasheng and Mr Vuli Cuba. Safika will have a 51% shareholding in Newco. 2.2 BBET The BBET will be created for the benefit of organisations representing broad based communities from historically disadvantaged backgrounds. The principal beneficiaries of the BBET will be community organisations, selected historically black universities, an NGO investment trust, youth groups, women"s groups and black economic empowerment entrepreneurial groups. The BBET will have a 35% shareholding in Newco. 2.3 Nduna Nduna is led by Mr Ronnie Ntuli who has established himself as a respected advisor to both South African and international corporates and investors on investment strategies in Africa. Mr Ntuli recently completed two terms as President of The Johannesburg Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and serves as director on a number of boards. Mr Ntuli was recently appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Andisa Capital (Proprietary) Limited, which is the new empowered financial services company created in partnership with Standard Bank Group. Nduna will have a 9% shareholding in Newco. 2.4 Simeka Simeka is an investment holding company which provides management consulting, training, capacity building, employee benefits solutions, communications and marketing services to the Government of South Africa, public sector organisations and international agencies. Simeka will have a 5% shareholding in Newco. 3. RATIONALE FOR THE TRANSACTION It is the view of Standard Bank Group and Liberty Group that transformation is a national and business imperative. Standard Bank Group and Liberty Group are actively involved in the process of transformation to ensure that they, their subsidiaries and their associates support South Africa"s socio-economic objectives and participate in the new and exciting challenges and opportunities being presented. The Transaction establishes an empowerment partnership between the Consortium, Standard Bank Group and Liberty Group. The goal of this partnership will be to meet the objectives set out above and to develop new sources of business for the mutual benefit of all of STANLIB"s shareholders. 4. KEY TERMS OF THE TRANSACTION 4.1 Shareholding structure The ordinary shares of Newco will be owned 51% by Safika and 49% by the other members of the Consortium. The ownership structure of STANLIB, subsequent to the implementation of the Transaction, is set out as follows. Safika BBET Nduna Simeka 51% 35% 9% 5% Newco Standard Bank Group* Liberty Group* 25,2% 37,4% 37,4% STANLIB
STANLIB STANLIB Asset Management 100% Wealth Management 100% *Listed on the JSE Securities Exchange South Africa 4.2 Chairman Subsequent to the implementation of the Transaction, the Chairman of STANLIB will be Mr Macozoma, who has agreed to make himself available to be appointed as the Chairman of STANLIB for a minimum of three years. 4.3 Directorship The board of directors of STANLIB will comprise a maximum of 16 directors. The shareholders of STANLIB will be entitled to appoint directors pro rata to their shareholdings for so long as they hold a minimum of 10% of the issued ordinary share capital of STANLIB. 4.4 Exclusivity Newco will be the exclusive empowerment partner of STANLIB in Africa. In return, Newco and all of its shareholders, for so long as they are direct or indirect shareholders of STANLIB, have undertaken to restrict their invesment in asset management and wealth management in Africa to STANLIB. 4.5 Transaction value For the purposes of the Transaction, STANLIB has been valued at R1,4 billion. 4.6 Funding of the Transaction Standard Bank Group and Liberty Group will jointly and exclusively provide the financing for the Transaction on commercial terms. The financing provided by Standard Bank Group and Liberty Group to Newco is expected to be repaid within five to seven years, subject to STANLIB"s earnings performance. 5. FAIRNESS OPINION Although Mr Macozoma is a director of both Standard Bank Group and Safika, Newco is not a related party in terms of the Listings Requirements of the JSE Securities Exchange South Africa as Mr Macozoma only has a minority interest in Safika, which will control Newco. Notwithstanding this fact, as Liberty Group is a subsidiary of Libhold, which is a subsidiary of Standard Bank Group, the board of directors of Liberty Group considered it appropriate, in the interests of Liberty Group minority shareholders, to obtain an independent fairness opinion as to the sale price for 12,6% of STANLIB. In this regard, the board of directors of Liberty Group has appointed an independent advisor, Deutsche Securities (SA) (Proprietary) Limited, which has provided an independent opinion that the sale price for 12,6% of STANLIB is fair and reasonable to the shareholders of Liberty Group. 6. BOARD APPOINTMENTS On conclusion of the Transaction Mr Macozoma will be invited to join the boards of directors of Libhold and Liberty Group. 7. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT The Transaction is conditional upon the fulfillment of, inter alia, the following conditions precedent: * all required regulatory approvals being obtained; and * the conclusion of formal agreements to give effect to the Transaction. The shareholders of Standard Bank Group and Liberty Group will be notified in due course as to the fulfilment of the conditions precedent and the implementation of the Transaction. Johannesburg 18 June 2003 Merchant bank and sponsor to Standard Bank Group SCMB Standard Corporate and Merchant Bank (A division of The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited) (Registration number 1962/000738/06) Legal advisor to Liberty Group Werksmans Incorporated (Registration number 1990/007215/21) Sponsor to Liberty Group and Libhold Merrill Lynch Global Markets & Investment Banking Group Merrill Lynch South Africa (Pty) Ltd Registration number 1995/001805/07 Registered Sponsor and Member of the JSE Securities Exchange South Africa Independent advisor to Liberty Group Deutsche Securities Member of the Deutsche Bank Group Deutsche Securities (SA) (Proprietary) Limited (Registration number 1995/011798/07) Legal advisor to Standard Bank Group Bowman Gilfillan John & Kernick Findlay & Tait Financial advisor to Safika UBS Corporate Finance South Africa (Pty) Ltd A subsidiary of UBS AG (Registration number 1994/008363/07) Legal advisor to the Consortium Read Hope Phillips Attorneys Corporate legal advisor to Safika DEREK H RABIN Date: 18/06/2003 08:00:12 AM Supplied by www.sharenet.co.za Produced by the JSE SENS Department

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