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EVRAZ HIGHVELD STEEL & VANADIUM LTD - Group Preliminary Results for the year ended 31 December 2012

Release Date: 13/03/2013 16:00
Code(s): EHS     PDF:  
Wrap Text
Group Preliminary Results for the year ended 31 December 2012

EVRAZ Highveld Steel and Vanadium Limited
(Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa)
(Registration number 1960/001900/06)
Share code: EHS     ISIN: ZAE000146171
("the Company" or "the Group")

GROUP PRELIMINARY RESULTS
for the year ended 31 December 2012

- Headline loss  R1 022 million  
(2011: loss  R15 million)
- Net loss R943 million  
(2011: profit  R45 million) 
- Change in directorate 
- Industrial action

Chairman and CEO's review

1.  Safety
    The Company has improved its safety performance over the last year. The lost time injury
    frequency rate (LTIFR), the key indicator of safety at work, improved from 1.57 lost time
    incidents per million hours worked in 2011 to 1.35 for the year ended 31 December 2012.

2.  Key financials
    The operating loss for the period was R854 million, compared to a loss of R49 million in
    2011. The industrial action in Q3 and subsequent ramp-up problems mainly contributed
    to the poor results. The EBITDA for the period was R697 million loss, compared to a
    R153 million profit for the previous year. Revenue decreased to R4 346 million compared
    to R5 587 million in 2011.

3.  Operations
    Steel
    Liquid iron production for 2012 decreased by 6% compared to 2011 at 620 035 tons
    and cast steel output by 15% at 571 787 tons. The most significant negative impact on
    output resulted from a four-week strike by the majority trade union, stemming from an
    introduction of cost saving measures which included a reduction in overtime hours. After
    this extended outage, production levels ramped up gradually over a 10-week period due
    to complications at the ironmaking furnaces.

    Production of long products decreased by 9% to 204 701 tons due to insufficient steel
    availability. The production of flat products decreased by 16% to 242 836 tons due to the
    reduced availability of casted steel, and a reheat furnace breakdown at the end of the year.
    During the year the remaining 6 kiln raw gas stack caps were installed and all 13 kilns
    are now equipped accordingly. A project to improve kiln pre-reduction performance has
    commenced, for completion in Q3 2013. This project will result in a reduction of electrical
    energy consumption in the ironmaking furnaces.

    Challenges at the shaking ladle operation resulted in lower cast steel production, until
    improved process control techniques were implemented in Q4 2012.

    Yield improvements have been achieved at the Structural Mill following completion of
    upgrades to the main electrical drives in the plant in January 2012 and on heavy plate.

    Vanadium
    A total of 43 132 tons of vanadium slag was produced with 6 205 Mt V for the period,
    compared to 61 083 tons slag and 8 088 Mt V during 2011.

4.  Markets
    Global and local markets
    Global crude steel production reached a record 1.55 billion tons in 2012, up 1.2%
    compared to 2011 on the back of growth in Asia and North America; while crude steel
    production in the European Union (EU) and South America decreased. The South African
    crude steel production for 2012 decreased by approximately 5.6% compared to the
    production of 2011.

    EVRAZ Highveld sales
    Domestic steel sales volumes for the period decreased by 24% at 359 162 tons, compared
    to 2011 at 473 951 tons. Export steel sales volumes decreased by 27%, at 94 674 tons
    in 2012 against 129 143 tons in 2011 with overall steel sales volumes decreasing by 25%
    at 453 836 tons in 2012 against 603 094 tons in 2011. This was mainly due to the effect
    of reduction in market requirements due to imports as well as the NUMSA strike action in
    July 2012.

    Domestic steel sales volumes of Q4 2012 increased by 95% to 108 647 tons compared
    to 55 587 tons in Q3 2012. Export steel sales volumes decreased by 82% to 2 940 tons in
    Q4 2012 compared to 16 285 tons in Q3, with an increase of 55% for overall sales, which
    was mainly due to the low base in the third quarter resulting from the NUMSA strike action.
    Export vanadium slag sales decreased by 15% from 5 664 tons V in 2011 to 4 817 tons
    V in 2012. Domestic vanadium slag sales decreased by 51% from 372 tons V in 2011 to
    181 tons V in 2012 as a result of a lack of orders received in Q1 2012, the strike in Q3 2012
    and the consequent force majeure declaration in Q3 2012.

5.  Change in directorate
    We are pleased to announce that Mr Thabo Mosololi joined the Board as from 21 May 2012
    as non-executive director. Thabo is an executive director of MFT Investment Holdings. He
    was previously the operations director and the financial director of Tsogo Sun Gaming.
    Thabo has extensive knowledge and experience in financial management, strategy, project
    management, internal and external assurance services, risk management and South
    African taxation. In addition hereto he also serves on other boards and audit committees
    in various sectors. Thabo holds a BComm (Hons) with the University of Western Cape,
    and other diplomas and certificates in business and project management. Thabo is a
    registered chartered accountant.

6.  Outlook
    Although the business experienced operational challenges from August to October 2012
    while recovering from the mentioned strike, month-on-month improvements in volume have
    been made through to December 2012 and will remain a key objective in 2013.

    Growth of domestic steel supply is expected to correlate with gross domestic product
    growth in the absence of major government infrastructure spending. The international steel
    market suffers from oversupply which is unlikely to subside until the Chinese economy can
    absorb more of its own output and Europe can stabilise its economic contraction. Most
    2013 forecasts predict global steel growth between 2% and 5% largely driven by China
    and non-residential US construction.

    The global expectation is that vanadium prices will rise more forcefully in 2013 when the
    supply and demand balance tightens, but are not expected to return to the historic highs
    experienced before the recession.

    The Company remains focused on the reduction of cost in all functional areas and to
    this end lodged an appeal to NERSA during the January 2013 public hearings regarding
    Eskom's MYPD3 application, objecting to the exorbitant increase of 21% proposed by
    the utility company in respect of a 2013/2014 rate adjustment for industrial consumers.
    The Regulator was requested to limit the increase to below the rate of inflation. At the time
    of issuing this statement NERSA has announced that the average rate increase granted
    to Eskom was 8%, however, no details pertaining to the specific tariff structure applicable
    to industrial users have been made public.

B J T Shongwe	                                      M D Garcia
(Chairman)	                                      (Chief Executive Officer)

13 March 2013

Basis of preparation
The Group's financial results for the quarter and year ended 31 December 2012 set out below
have been prepared in accordance with the principal accounting policies of the Group, which
comply with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and in the manner required by
the Companies Act in South Africa and are consistent with those applied in the Group's most
recent annual financial statements, including the Standards and Interpretations as listed below.
These results are presented in terms of International Accounting Standards (IAS) 34 applicable
to Interim Financial Reporting.

Significant accounting policies
(i)  The Group has adopted the following new and revised Standards and Interpretations issued
     by the International Accounting Standards Board (the IASB) and the International Financial
     Reporting Interpretation Committee (IFRIC) of the IASB, that are relevant to its operations
     and effective for accounting periods beginning on 1 January 2012. These Standards had
     no impact on the results or disclosures of the Group.

      -	  IFRS 1, Amended  Severe hyperinflation and removal of fixed dates for first-time
          adopters (effective from 1 July 2011);
      -	  IFRS 7, Amended  Transfers of financial assets (effective from 1 July 2011); and
      -	  IAS 12, Amended  Deferred taxes: Recovery of underlying assets (effective from
          1 January 2012).

(ii)  The following Standards, amendment to the Standards and Interpretations, effective in
      future accounting periods have not been adopted in these financial statements:
      -   IAS 1, Amended  Presentation of items of other comprehensive income (effective from
          1 July 2012);
      -   IAS 19, Revised  Employee benefits (effective from 1 January 2013);
      -   IAS 27, Separate financial statements (consequential revision due to the issue of
          IFRS 10) (effective from 1 January 2013);
      -   IAS 28, Investments in associates and joint ventures (consequential revision due to the
          issue of IFRS 10 and 11) (effective from 1 January 2013);
      -   IAS 32, Amended  Offsetting financial assets and financial liabilities (effective from
          1 January 2014);
      -   IFRS 7, Amended  Disclosures: Offsetting financial assets and financial liabilities
          (effective from 1 January 2013);
      -   IFRS 9, Financial instruments  Classification and measurement (effective from 1
          January 2015);
      -   IFRS 9 and IFRS 7, Amended  Mandatory effective date and transition disclosures
          (IFRS 9 effective from 1 January 2015, IFRS 7 depends on when IFRS 9 is adopted);
      -   IFRS 10, Consolidated financial statements (effective from 1 January 2013);
      -   IFRS 11, Joint arrangements (effective from 1 January 2013);
      -   IFRS 12, Disclosure of interest in other entities (effective from 1 January 2013);
      -   IFRS 13, Fair value measurement (effective from 1 January 2013);
      -   IFRIC 20, Stripping costs in the production phase of a surface mine (effective from
          1 January 2013); and
      -   Improvements to IFRS  Issued May 2012 (effective from 1 January 2013).

This preliminary report was prepared under supervision of the Chief Financial Officer, Mr Jan
Valenta (Chartered Accountant).

The financial information has been reviewed by Ernst & Young Inc. whose unmodified review
report is available for inspection at the Company's registered office.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION
                                                      Reviewed as at   Audited as at
                                                         31 Dec 2012     31 Dec 2011
                                               Notes              Rm              Rm
ASSETS
Non-current assets                                             1 801           1 927
Property, plant and equipment                                  1 722           1 760
Deferred tax asset                                5               79             167
Current assets                                                 1 866           2 531
Inventories                                                      858             831
Trade and other receivables and pre-payments                     480             516
Taxation                                                           1               
Cash and short-term deposits                                     527           1 184
TOTAL ASSETS                                                   3 667           4 458
EQUITY AND LIABILITIES
Total equity                                                   1 738           2 620
Non-current liabilities                                          760             624
Interest-bearing loans and borrowings             6               16               
Provisions                                                       744             624
Current liabilities                                            1 169           1 214
Trade and other payables                                         924           1 016
Interest-bearing loans and borrowings                            102               
Income tax payable                                                               45
Provisions                                                       143             153
TOTAL EQUITY AND LIABILITIES                                   3 667           4 458
Net cash                                                         409           1 184
Net asset value  cents per share                              1 753           2 642

CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT
                                      Unaudited     Unaudited
                                        for the       for the        Reviewed          Audited
                                   three months  three months         for the          for the
                                          ended         ended      year ended       year ended
                                    31 Dec 2012   31 Dec 2011     31 Dec 2012      31 Dec 2011
                           Notes             Rm            Rm              Rm               Rm
Revenue                                   1 029         1 359           4 354            5 613
Sale of goods                             1 026         1 353           4 346            5 587
Cost of sales                            (1 176)       (1 309)         (4 746)          (5 092)
Gross (loss)/profit                        (150)           44            (400)             495
Other operating
income                        7              20            95             138               95
Selling and
distribution costs                          (30)          (64)           (248)            (301)
Administrative
expenses                                    (68)          (75)           (289)            (306)
Other operating
expenses                                    (55)           91             (55)             (32)
Operating (loss)/profit                    (283)           91            (854)             (49)
Finance costs                               (20)          (22)            (52)             (50)
Finance income                                3             6               8               26
(Loss)/Profit before tax                   (300)           75            (898)             (73)
Income tax credit/
(expense)                     8              78             1             (45)             118
(Loss)/Profit for the
period/year                                (222)           76            (943)              45
                                          Cents         Cents           Cents            Cents
(Loss)/Profit per share
 basic and diluted                      (224.0)         76.7          (951.1)            45.4

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

                                             Unaudited           Unaudited
                                               for the             for the         Reviewed          Audited
                                          three months        three months          for the          for the
                                                 ended               ended       year ended       year ended
                                           31 Dec 2012         31 Dec 2011      31 Dec 2012      31 Dec 2011
                                                    Rm                  Rm               Rm               Rm
(Loss)/Profit for
the period/year                                   (222)                 76             (943)              45
Other comprehensive
income/(loss):
Exchange differences
on translation of foreign
operations                                          13                 (22)              49               55
Total comprehensive (loss)/
income for the period/year                        (209)                 54             (894)             100

HEADLINE EARNINGS PER SHARE
                                             Unaudited           Unaudited
                                               for the             for the         Reviewed          Audited
                                          three months        three months          for the          for the
                                                 ended               ended       year ended       year ended
                                           31 Dec 2012         31 Dec 2011      31 Dec 2012      31 Dec 2011
                                                    Rm                  Rm               Rm               Rm
Reconciliation of headline
(loss)/profit
(Loss)/Profit for the
period/year                                       (222)                 76             (943)              45
(Deduct)/Add after tax
effect of:
Insurance claim proceeds on
items of property, plant and
equipment                                                              (63)                            (63)
Proceeds on successful
litigation against the Channel
Induction Furnace supplier                                                            (79)               
(Profit)/Loss on disposal and
scrapping of property, plant
and equipment                                        (*)                                 (*)              3
Headline (loss)/profit                             (222)                 13           (1 022)            (15)
*Less than R1 million.
                                                  Cents               Cents            Cents           Cents
(Loss)/Profit per share 
headline and diluted                             (224.0)               13.1         (1 030.4)          (15.1)
                                                Million             Million          Million         Million
Number of shares
Ordinary shares in issue as at
end date*+                                         99.2                99.2             99.2            99.2
*Rounded to nearest hundred thousand.

+ Agree to weighted average and diluted number of ordinary shares.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
                                                      Issued
                                                     capital
                                                   and share      Other   Retained
                                                     premium   reserves   earnings     Total
                                           Notes          Rm         Rm         Rm       Rm
2011
Balance at 1 January 2011  Audited                      585        138      1 787     2 510
Profit for the period                                                           21        21
Other comprehensive income for the quarter                           20                   20
Balance at 31 March 2011  Unaudited                     585        158      1 808     2 551
Profit for the period                                                           65        65
Other comprehensive income for the quarter                            7                    7
Balance at 30 June 2011  Reviewed                       585        165      1 873     2 623
Loss for the period                                                           (117)     (117)
Other comprehensive income for the
quarter                                                              50                   50
Balance at 30 September 2011 
Unaudited                                                585        215      1 756     2 556
Profit for the period                                                           76        76
Other comprehensive loss for the quarter                            (22)                 (22)
Share-based payment reserve                   9                      10                   10
Balance at 31 December 2011  Audited                    585        203      1 832     2 620
2012
Balance at 1 January 2012  Audited                      585        203      1 832     2 620
Loss for the period                                                            (94)     (94)
Other comprehensive loss for the quarter                            (13)                 (13)
Balance at 31 March 2012  Unaudited                     585        190      1 738     2 513
Loss for the period                                                           (282)     (282)
Other comprehensive income for the quarter                           11                   11
Share-based payment reserve                   9                       8                    8
Balance at 30 June 2012  Reviewed                       585        209      1 456     2 250
Loss for the period                                                           (345)     (345)
Other comprehensive income for the quarter                           13                   13
Share-based payment reserve                   9                       2                    2
Balance at 30 September 2012 
Unaudited                                                585        224      1 111     1 920
Loss for the period                                                           (222)     (222)
Other comprehensive income for the quarter                           38                   38
Share-based payment reserve                   9                       2                    2
Balance at 31 December 2012  Reviewed                   585        264        889     1 738

                                 Unaudited        Unaudited
                                   for the          for the         Reviewed            Audited
                              three months     three months          for the            for the
                                     ended            ended       year ended         year ended
                               31 Dec 2012      31 Dec 2011      31 Dec 2012        31 Dec 2011
                                     Cents            Cents            Cents              Cents
Dividends per share
Dividends declared and paid                                                                


CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

                          Unaudited       Unaudited
                            for the         for the        Reviewed         Audited
                       three months    three months         for the         for the
                              ended           ended      year ended      year ended
                        31 Dec 2012     31 Dec 2011     31 Dec 2012     31 Dec 2011
                                 Rm              Rm              Rm              Rm
Cash flows from
operating activities
 Cash (used in)/
 generated by
 operations before
 tax paid                       (29)             502            (608)          1 070
 Income tax paid                 (2)              (1)             (2)             (6)
Net cash (used
in)/generated by
operating activities            (31)             501            (610)          1 064
Cash flows from
investing activities
 Proceeds
 from sale and
 scrapping of
 property, plant
 and equipment                    3               88               4              90
 Net additions to
 property, plant
 and equipment                  (61)            (152)           (203)           (485)
Net cash used in
investing activities            (58)             (64)           (199)           (395)
Cash flows from
financing activities
 Increase in long-
 term interest-
 bearing loans and
 borrowings                                                     15               
 (Decrease)/
 Increase in short-
 term interest-
 bearing loans and
 borrowings                    (107)                            102               
Net cash (used
in)/from financing
activities                     (107)                            117               
Net (decrease)/
increase in cash and
cash equivalents               (196)             437            (692)            669
Cash and cash
equivalents at the
beginning of the
period/year                     694              752           1 184             492
Effects of
exchange rate
changes on cash
held in foreign
currencies                       29               (5)             35              23
Cash and cash
equivalents at the
end of the period/
year                            527            1 184             527           1 184

NOTES TO THE PRELIMINARY CONSOLIDATED
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1.  Companies Act and JSE Limited Listings Requirements
    Compliance with the Companies Act, No 71 of 2008, as well as the Listings Requirements of
    the JSE Limited has been maintained throughout the reporting periods.

2.  Related party transactions
    Sales to East Metals A.G. (a fellow subsidiary) amounted to R454 million (December 2011
    YTD: R652 million) for the year ended 31 December 2012. This constitutes 10% of total
    revenue for the period, compared to 12% for the period ended 31 December 2011. Technical
    services (slag tolling agreement) and other services with EVRAZ Vametco Alloys Proprietary
    Limited (a fellow subsidiary) amounted to R71 million for the year ended 31 December 2012
    (December 2011 YTD: R110 million).

3.  Segment information
    The Group is organised into business units based on their products and has two reportable
    segments as follows:

    Steelworks
    The major products of the steel segment are magnetite iron ore, structural steel, plate and
    coil.

    Vanadium
    The major products of the vanadium segment are vanadium slag and ferrovanadium.
    Vanadium slag is a by-product from the steelmaking process, and this slag is transferred
    from the Steelworks to the Vanadium Plant, which then forms the input into the business of
    the vanadium business.

    No operating segments have been aggregated to form the above reportable operating
    segments. Management monitors the operating results of its business units separately for
    the purposes of making decisions about resource allocation and performance assessment.
    Segment performance is evaluated based on operating profit.

    The following tables present the revenue, operating profit and total assets information
    regarding the Group's operating segments:

                                  Unaudited    Unaudited
                                    for the      for the     Reviewed      Audited
                               three months three months      for the      for the
                                      ended        ended   year ended   year ended
                                31 Dec 2012  31 Dec 2011  31 Dec 2012  31 Dec 2011
                                         Rm           Rm           Rm           Rm
Revenue
Steelworks                              825          994        3 181        3 990
Vanadium                                210          374        1 199        1 656
Elimination of intersegmental
revenue                                  (6)          (9)         (26)         (33)
Total                                 1 029        1 359        4 354        5 613
Operating (loss)/profit
Steelworks                             (320)         (42)      (1 153)        (542)
Vanadium                                 37          133          299          493
Total                                  (283)          91         (854)         (49)

                                   Reviewed      Audited
                                      as at        as at
                                31 Dec 2012  31 Dec 2011
                                         Rm           Rm
Total assets
Steelworks                            2 935        3 664
Vanadium                                732          794
Total                                 3 667        4 458

4. Supplementary revenue information  Unaudited

                                                   For the   For the
                                                     three     three    For the    For the
                                                    months    months       year       year
                                                     ended     ended      ended      ended
                                                    31 Dec    31 Dec     31 Dec     31 Dec
                                                      2012      2011       2012       2011
   Sales volumes of major
   products
   Total steel                              Tons   111 587   132 481    453 836    603 094
   Ferrovanadium                          Tons V       869     1 491      4 766      6 031
   Modified Vanadium Oxide                Tons V                 94        244        398
   Nitrovan                               Tons V       192       310        669      1 105
   Vanadium slag                       Tons V2O5       181       127        323        664
   Fines ore                                Tons   136 981   167 601    687 380    662 395

   Vanadium slag sales reduced from 664 tons V2O5 for the 12 months ended 31 December
   2011 to 323 tons V2O5 for the year ended 31 December 2012 due to lack of orders received
   and unavailability of slag.

   Weighted average selling prices
   achieved for major products
   Total steel                             US$/t       727       822        764        825
   Ferrovanadium                        US$/kg V        23        25         23         27
   Modified Vanadium Oxide              US$/kg V                 17         18         21
   Nitrovan                             US$/kg V        24        25         23         27
   Vanadium slag                     US$/kg V2O5         4         5          4          5
   Fines ore                               US$/t        22        23         20         33
   Average R/$ exchange rate                          8.69      8.10       8.21       7.26

5.  Impairment of deferred tax assets
    In light of the Company's current financial performance and the uncertainty of future taxable
    profits to account against the Company's deferred tax asset, management concluded,
    following due assessment, that it was prudent to impair the Company's deferred taxation
    asset to the extent that it exceeded the deferred taxation liability. Whilst the taxable income
    forecast for the Company is based on its most favourable outlook scenario, the current
    assessed tax loss implies that it will take many years before the Company is in a position to
    utilise the tax assets as at 31 December 2012. Following this impairment, a zero balance for
    deferred taxation is disclosed for the Company. The deferred taxation asset for the Group
    comprises the deferred taxation asset attributable to Mapochs Mine Proprietary Limited.
    A management assessment of this asset concluded that no impairment is necessary.

    The amount derecognised during the year amounted to R100 million.

6.  Interest-bearing loans and borrowings
    The long-term borrowings of R16 million (2011: Rnil million) consist of the loan due by
    Umnotho Iron and Vanadium Proprietary Limited payable to Umnotho weSizwe Group
    Proprietary Limited. This loan has no fixed repayment terms and interest is charged at prime
    rate.

7.  Other operating income and expenses
    The R138 million other operating income for the year ended 31 December 2012 relates
    mainly to a R109 million settlement received, relating to the claim against the Channel
    Induction Furnace supplier, and reversal of a R18 million litigation provision relating to a
    claim instituted by a supplier company. Arbitration was completed in 2012 and dismissed
    with costs. For 2011, the amount relates mainly to a R87 million insurance proceeds received
    for the Furnace 7 damage.

8.  Income tax

                                     Unaudited     Unaudited
                                       for the       for the     Reviewed       Audited
                                  three months  three months      for the       for the
                                         ended         ended   year ended    year ended
                                   31 Dec 2012   31 Dec 2011  31 Dec 2012   31 Dec 2011
                                            Rm            Rm           Rm            Rm
   South African
   Normal
    Prior year                                                      (44)            
   Deferred
    Current                                (81)           (7)          86          (112)
    Prior year                                           (1)                       (1)
   Non-South African
   Normal
    Current                                  3             3            3             3
    Prior year                                            4                        (8)
   Income tax (credit)/expense             (78)           (1)          45          (118)

   The period income tax expense is accrued using the estimated average annual effective
   income tax rate applied to the pre-tax income of the interim report.

9.  Share-based payment reserve
    Certain key management personnel participate in a Long Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) over
    shares in EVRAZ plc. The shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange. The vesting
    of the shares occur on the 90th day following the announcement of EVRAZ plc's financial
    results. The cost of the LTIP award will be settled in equity by EVRAZ plc. The amount
    recognised according to IFRS 2 in 2012 is R12 million (2011: R10 million).

10. Guarantees
    As required by the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, a guarantee
    amounting to R264 million (2011: R264 million) was issued on 1 February 2007 in favour of
    the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) for the unscheduled closure of Mapochs Mine.
    This guarantee is issued by the Company on behalf of Mapochs Mine.

    As required by certain suppliers of the Group, guarantees were issued in favour of these
    suppliers to the value of R9 million (2011: R9 million) in the event the Group will not be able
    to meet its obligations to the supplier.

11. Contingent liabilities
    In terms of the Group's employment policies, certain employees could become eligible for
    post-retirement medical aid benefits at any time in the future prior to their retirement subject
    to certain conditions. The potential liability for the Group should they become medical
    scheme members in the future is R32 million before tax and R23 million after tax (2011:
    R31 million before tax and R22 million after tax).

    On 5 June 2008, the Commission initiated a complaint against the Company for an alleged
    contravention of section 4(1)(b)(i) of the Competition Act, No. 89 of 1998 ("the Competition
    Act"). The allegations against the Company are that it fixed prices and trading conditions
    for flat and long steel products. In a letter from the Commission dated 18 September 2009,
    the Commission confirmed that it would not be pursuing a case of collusion in the long steel
    market against the Company. On 30 March 2012 the Commission referred the complaints
    relating to the flat steel market to the Competition Tribunal for prosecution. The allegations
    against the Company contained in the Commission's complaint referral are that the Company
    fixed prices and trading conditions for flat steel products, and divided markets in respect
    of flat steel products, which are contraventions of sections 4(1)(b)(i) and 4(1)(b)(ii) of the
    Competition Act respectively. It is further alleged in the Commission's Complaint Referral
    that the Company has contravened sections 4(1)(b)(i) and 4(1)(b)(ii), alternatively section
    4(1)(a), of the Competition Act by engaging in the exchange of information with a competitor
    through information exchanges and meetings of the South African Iron and Steel Institute or
    its committees. Should the Competition Commission be successful, which is not expected, it
    could raise a maximum penalty of R554 million against the Company.

    A supplier company has claimed against the Company in respect of structural damage
    to assets sold in the past. The claim was in the amount of R42 million. Arbitration was
    completed in 2012 and the claim has been dismissed with costs.

12. Subsequent events
    There are no events to be reported on since 31 December 2012.

Directors: B J T Shongwe (Chairman),
M D Garcia (Chief Executive Officer) (American),
G C Baizini (Italian), M Bhabha, Mrs B Ngonyama,
T Mosololi, V M Nkosi, D Scuka (Czech), P M Surgey,
P S Tatyanin (Russian), J Valenta (Czech) and
T I Yanbukhtin (Russian)

Acting Company Secretary: Ms A Weststrate

Registered office:	       Transfer secretaries:
Portion 93 of the farm	       Computershare Investor Services
Schoongezicht No. 308 JS       Proprietary Limited
District eMalahleni	       70 Marshall Street
Mpumalanga	               Johannesburg

PO Box 111	               PO Box 61051
Witbank 1035	               Marshalltown 2107

Tel: (013) 690 9911	       Tel: (011) 370 5000
Fax: (013) 690 9293	       Fax: (011) 688 5200

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