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FSR/FSRP - FirstRand Limited - Early release of Firstrand`s interim results FirstRand Limited (Incorporated in South Africa) (Registration number 1966/010753/06) JSE Ordinary Share Code: FSR JSE ISIN: ZAE000066304 JSE "B" Preference Share Code: FSRP JSE ISIN: ZAE000060141 NSX Ordinary Share Code: FSR ("FirstRand" or "the Group") EARLY RELEASE OF FIRSTRAND`S INTERIM RESULTS FirstRand undertook to investigate and report back to shareholders on the events preceding the early release of the Group`s interim results on 7th March 2011. In addition to its own internal review process and to ensure absolute rigour and transparency, FirstRand appointed KPMG Inc. ("KPMG") to conduct an independent investigation. The results of FirstRand`s investigation are as follows: - The Group`s results were due to be published on SENS on Tuesday 8th March 2011. In preparation for this, the results brochure to shareholders and the results presentation were being uploaded onto the content management system of the FirstRand website during the course of the morning on 7th March 2011. This website is hosted and managed by a third party provider. - A newswire accessed the FirstRand website content folder via a specific URL and retrieved the Group`s results information shortly after it had been uploaded. Whilst on the 7th March the third party provider informed FirstRand that the results information had been uploaded in a secure environment, it has subsequently confirmed that the full security settings on the content folder were not in place. - The newswire published the results information on its news platform at approximately 14:25 SA time, and the Group subsequently released its interim results announcement on SENS. Server logs suggest that the newswire was the only party to access this information prior to publishing the results on their news platform. FirstRand remains of the view that the results had not been published on its website prior to publication on SENS, and the Group had only provided the information to the third party service providers it engages to manage the process of publishing its results. However the Group acknowledges that the third party`s content folder security settings allowed the newswire to access the unprotected files on the server. FirstRand is implementing a number of enhanced governance actions and controls to ensure that a similar incident does not occur in future, including reviewing third party supplier governance. The FirstRand Board has been provided with a copy of the KPMG report as has the JSE Limited ("the JSE") and The Financial Services Board. It has been established that an unintentional breach of Section 3.5 of the JSE Listings Requirements has occurred, however the JSE has decided not to impose a further penalty on FirstRand after considering the following: - the mitigation implemented by FirstRand to prevent or minimise any potential undesirable effects; - the public censure that has already occurred; - that the FirstRand results were in line with the trading update published on 2 March 2011; - that the results had very little impact on the volumes and value traded after their release; and - the immediate notification of the JSE by FirstRand once it was discovered that the breach had occurred. Sandton 5 July 2011 Sponsor RAND MERCHANT BANK (A division of FirstRand Bank Limited) Date: 05/07/2011 08:30:03 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.
