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VKN/SLM - Vukile/Sanlam - Vukile To Acquire Sanlam Properties` Asset Management

Release Date: 11/06/2009 11:01
Code(s): SLM VKE
Wrap Text

VKN/SLM - Vukile/Sanlam - Vukile To Acquire Sanlam Properties` Asset Management Business Vukile Property Fund Limited Sanlam Limited (Incorporated in the Republic (Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa) of South Africa) (Reg. no. 2002/027194/06) (Reg. no. 1959/001562/06) JSE code: VKE NSX code: VKN JSE code: SLM NSX code: SLA ISIN: ZAE000056370 ISIN: ZAE000070660 ("Vukile") ("Sanlam") VUKILE TO ACQUIRE SANLAM PROPERTIES` ASSET MANAGEMENT BUSINESS Johannesburg, 11 June 2009 - Sanlam Investments and Vukile Property Fund today announced that Vukile will acquire the Sanlam Properties asset management business, as well as an option to purchase certain properties from Sanlam Life valued at approximately R500 million. The acquisition of Sanlam Properties asset management business is valued at almost R332 million and makes strategic sense for both parties, as Sanlam is downscaling its fixed property assets and Vukile is internalising the management of its assets in line with international norms and global best practice. The deal, which will be settled by the issue of 36.47 million new Vukile units at 910 cents per unit, will increase Sanlam`s shareholding in Vukile from 27.4 percent to 35.3 percent. The acquisition is subject to the fulfilment of certain conditions precedent, including but not limited to unitholder and regulatory approval. Johan van der Merwe, CEO of Sanlam Investments, said that the group has already reduced its fixed property asset portfolio by several billion over the past eight years. "The Sanlam Group`s focus is on a combination of fixed and listed property assets and it therefore makes sense for the entire function of property asset management to move to Vukile - a business which specialises and wishes to grow in this area." Vukile chief executive Gerhard van Zyl added that the management of its assets, previously done by Sanlam Properties, will now be undertaken through its in- house resources. "This shift is based on a worldwide trend for property companies to manage their assets in-house. This, together with the proposed implementation in South Africa of the Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) structure, will give further impetus to this approach. As for the proposed acquisition of properties from Sanlam Life, this is in line with our strategic objective of building a quality portfolio of properties with a strong contractual cash flow in order to give our unitholders meaningful capital appreciation and sustainable distribution growth," he said. Following the conclusion of the transaction, Vukile will be responsible for the asset management of its own property portfolio and it will also provide property asset management services to Sanlam Life in respect of its entire property portfolio. As announced previously, Vukile and Sanlam Properties have agreed to extend the existing asset management contract between the two parties for a maximum period of six months up to 30 September 2009 so as to allow for sufficient time to implement the transaction. For more information: SANLAM INVESTMENTS Johan van der Merwe Chief executive +27 (0)21 950 2500 Johanvdm@sim.sanlam.com SANLAM PROPERTIES Banus van der Walt Managing director +27 (0)11 375 2902 Banus.vanderwalt@simprop.co.za Julie Etheridge Atmosphere Communications +27 (0)21 469 1564 Mob: +27 (0)82 359 2461 Email: julie@atmosphere.co.za VUKILE PROPERTY FUND Gerhard van Zyl Chief executive +27 (0)11 288 1002 vukile@dpapr.com About Sanlam Investments Sanlam Investments is one of the three core clusters within the Sanlam group and consists of 15 specialised investment and wealth management businesses offering individual and institutional clients access to comprehensive expertise within one company. Each business within the Sanlam Investments cluster functions as an entrepreneurial entity with a shared focus on delivering leading performance and exceptional client service. This is achieved by instilling passionate ownership as an intrinsic value among the people working at Sanlam Investments. It is based in Cape Town, with a strong presence in sub-Saharan Africa and footprints in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in Europe, United States, Australia and India. A diverse client base includes retirement funds, corporations, financial institutions, individual investors, governments and government agencies. About Sanlam Properties Sanlam Properties (SP), initially as a division of Sanlam Life and since 1989 as an independent wholly-owned subsidiary, has played a leading role in the South African property industry. The services of Sanlam Properties encapsulate all the elements of property investments, from determining your ideal property portfolio through securing, developing and refurbishing the property itself. It includes inter alia portfolio management, developments, sales, benchmarking and property listing and securitisation. Currently SP manages the portfolios of Sanlam Life and Vukile with an estimated total value of more than R13 billion, representing approximately 2.5 million square metres of lettable space and approximately 200 buildings. SP was involved with the listing of property funds Primegro, iFour, SA Retail, Acucap, Resilient, MICC and lastly Vukile. About Vukile Property Fund Vukile is a property fund which was listed on the JSE Limited on 24 June 2004 (JSE code: VKE) and on the Namibian Stock Exchange on 11 July 2007 (NSX code: VKN). Its listing was promoted by Sanlam, which contributed a significant share of Vukile`s start-up portfolio and at present still holds a 27% interest in the company. Vukile has a portfolio of 74 properties with a gross lettable area of 920 232 mSquared. The portfolio has a gross asset value in excess of R4.5 billion. Issued by du Plessis Associates on behalf of Vukile Property Fund Limited and Sanlam Limited. dPA contact Helen McKane Tel : +27 11 728 4701, Fax: +27 11 728 2547, Mobile: 082 330 2034 or e-mail: vukile@dpapr.com www.vukileprops.co.za Date: 11/06/2009 11:01:01 Supplied by www.sharenet.co.za Produced by the JSE SENS Department. The SENS service is an information dissemination service administered by the JSE Limited (`JSE`). The JSE does not, whether expressly, tacitly or implicitly, represent, warrant or in any way guarantee the truth, accuracy or completeness of the information published on SENS. The JSE, their officers, employees and agents accept no liability for (or in respect of) any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential loss or damage of any kind or nature, howsoever arising, from the use of SENS or the use of, or reliance on, information disseminated through SENS.

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