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Sekunjalo - Sekunjalo boosts R150 million IT interests

Release Date: 30/03/2005 11:18
Code(s): SKJ
Wrap Text

Sekunjalo - Sekunjalo boosts R150 million IT interests Sekunjalo Investments Limited (Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa) (Registration number 1996/006093/06) Share code: SKJ ISIN: ZAE000017893 ("Sekunjalo" or "the company") Press Announcement 30 March 2005 `SEKUNJALO BOOSTS R150 Million IT INTERESTS" Sekunjalo Investments Limited, the top-rated BEE investment holding company has bought 24% of London listed XN Checkout PLC"s subsidiary, XN Corporation Africa for R5 Million. Sekunjalo, who clinched the deal in the face of adverse opposition, believes the R5 million price tag buys it assets worth R25 million in London on the basis of attributable earnings from XN Corporation Africa. Dr Gilingwe Mayende, CEO of Sekunjalo Industrial Holdings, says "Sekunjalo has now built up an IT portfolio of over R150 million which includes its investments in Semtech (Sekunjalo Enterprise Management Technology Pty (Ltd)), Health Systems Technologies (HST), Synergy Computing and now XN". "Last year Sekunjalo made a total of R13 million pre tax from all of its investments, with the bulk of these earnings coming from its 80% owned subsidiary, Premier Fishing said Dr Mayende. "The combined profitability of these IT operations is expected to be over R20 million for the next financial year, ", says Dr Mayende. Dr Mayende points out that if Sekunjalo were to unbundle and sell its portfolio of investments, which include the recent acquisition of Bonlife and Benmed, it would be able to realise a potential value of between R2 to R2.50 per share, which is between R500m - R700m. The Group is therefore trading at a substantial discount to its unbundling value. Dr Mayende will be the representative of Sekunjalo on the board of XN in his capacity as CEO of Sekunjalo Industrial Holdings. Dr Mayende says, "Sekunjalo is currently following an aggressive growth strategy and these recent acquisitions show that the Group has entered an exciting new phase of earnings growth". Ian St Clair, CEO of XN Corporation Africa, an IT service provider to the leisure, retail and gaming industry, says, "Sekunjalo is Ideally positioned to help with growth, Sekunjalo, was rated as the 7th highest listed BEE company in South Africa for 2005. It also has contracts within the areas which XN Corporation Africa is aggressively moving into". More... "New product development and offerings have enabled us to enter markets with little or no opposition and with our own development team on board we are ideally positioned to tailor the product according to customer specification," says Mr St Clair. "With the added financial muscle that XN Checkout PLC gives us and the credibility that Sekunjalo brings to the party we"re poised for some significant growth for this year," he added. For further information Contact: Melody Mjila Group Communications Manager Sekunjalo Investments Limited Tel: 021 658 2700 Fax: 021 658 2714 Email: melody@sekunjalo.com Ends... Date: 30/03/2005 11:18:07 AM Supplied by www.sharenet.co.za Produced by the JSE SENS Department

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