HARMONY GOLD MINING COMPANY LIMITED - GOLD FIELDS LIMITED ("GOLD FIELDS"): LEGALRelease Date: 01/11/2004 17:56:47 Code(s): HAR HARMONY GOLD MINING COMPANY LIMITED - GOLD FIELDS LIMITED ("GOLD FIELDS"): LEGAL
ACTIONS DISADVANTAGE SHAREHOLDERS
HARMONY GOLD MINING COMPANY LIMITED
(Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa)
(Registration number 1950/038232/06)
Share code: HAR ISIN: ZAE000015228
("Harmony")
GOLD FIELDS LIMITED ("GOLD FIELDS"):LEGAL ACTIONS DISADVANTAGE SHAREHOLDERS
Since Harmony announced its proposed merger with Gold Fields, it has become
clear who comes first in the eyes of the Gold Fields" Board: its lawyers, not
its shareholders.
Quite simply, the Gold Fields" Board is conducting a campaign to disenfranchise
its shareholders. To date it has:
* Withheld the register of Gold Fields members in an attempt to prevent Gold
Fields shareholders from receiving Harmony"s proposed merger document;
* Threatened to interdict Harmony from posting the proposed merger document;
* Challenged the Securities Regulation Panel"s approval of Harmony"s proposed
merger and subsequently was one of the parties that requested a delay of the
hearing for this challenge;
* Applied to the Competition Authorities to delay the early settlement offer;
and
* Applied to the High Court to prevent Harmony from implementing its proposed
merger at all.
The Board of Gold Fields has a duty to act in the best interests of its
shareholders. None of these actions does this. We strongly believe the effect
of these actions is to deprive Gold Fields" shareholders from benefiting from
the significant value inherent in the Harmony proposed merger.
And there will be significant value:
* Harmony"s proposed merger will create the world"s largest gold mining company
with a compelling investment story;
* Harmony believes it can deliver greater value from Gold Fields" South African
assets than is currently being achieved;
* Harmony would avoid the value leakage that has happened in Gold Fields"
proposed transaction with IAMGold Corporation Inc.; and
* Harmony will ensure a strong future for South Africa"s gold mining industry.
HARMONY: WHERE THE SHAREHOLDERS COME FIRST
HARMONY"S PROPOSED MERGER WITH GOLDFIELDS:
COMPELLING VALUE FOR SHAREHOLDERS. A NEW INTERNATIONAL MAJOR. A NEW SOUTH
AFRICAN CHAMPION
Marian van der Walt
Secretary
1 November 2004
Virginia
In connection with the proposed acquisition of Gold Fields, Harmony has filed a
registration statement on Form F-4, which includes a preliminary prospectus and
related exchange offer materials, to register the Harmony ordinary shares
(including Harmony ordinary shares represented by Harmony American Depositary
Shares (ADSs)) to be issued in exchange for Gold Fields ordinary shares held by
Gold Fields shareholders located in the US and for Gold Fields ADSs held by Gold
Fields shareholders wherever located, as well as a Statement on Schedule TO.
Investors and holders of Gold Fields securities are strongly advised to read the
registration statement and the preliminary prospectus, the related exchange
offer materials and the final prospectus (when available), the Statement on
Schedule TO and any other relevant documents filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC), as well as any amendments and supplements to those
documents, because they will contain important information. Investors and
holders of Gold Fields securities may obtain free copies of the registration
statement, the preliminary and final prospectus (when available), related
exchange offer materials and the Statement on Schedule TO, as well as other
relevant documents filed or to be filed with the SEC, at the SEC"s web site at
www.sec.gov. The preliminary prospectus and other transaction-related documents
may be obtained for free from MacKenzie Partners, Inc., the information agent
for the U.S. offer, at the following address: 105 Madison Avenue, New York, New
York 10016; telephone 1 (212) 929 5500 (call collect) or 1 (800) 322 2885 (toll-
free call); e-mail proxy@mackenziepartners.com. Investors and security holders
may obtain a free copy of the Form 20-F filed with the SEC on October 5, 2004,
as amended, and any other documents filed with or furnished to the SEC by
Harmony at www.sec.gov.
This communication is for information purposes only. It shall not constitute an
offer to purchase or exchange or the solicitation of an offer to sell or
exchange any securities of Gold Fields or an offer to sell or exchange or the
solicitation of an offer to buy or exchange any securities of Harmony, nor shall
there be any sale or exchange of securities in any jurisdiction in which such
offer, solicitation or sale or exchange would be unlawful prior to the
registration or qualification under the laws of such jurisdiction. The
distribution of this communication may, in some countries, be restricted by law
or regulation. Accordingly, persons who come into possession of this document
should inform themselves of and observe these restrictions. The solicitation of
offers to buy Gold Fields ordinary shares (including Gold Fields ordinary shares
represented by Gold Fields ADSs) in the United States will only be made pursuant
to a prospectus and related offer materials that Harmony expects to send to
holders of Gold Fields securities. The Harmony ordinary shares (including
Harmony ordinary shares represented by Harmony ADSs) may not be sold, nor may
offers to buy be accepted, in the United States prior to the time the
registration statement becomes effective. No offering of securities shall be
made in the United States except by means of a prospectus meeting the
requirements of Section 10 of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
Joint financial advisers and
investment banks Co-financial advisers
HSBC Investec Merrill Lynch Morgan
Stanley
Joint transaction sponsors Attorneys
Investec Merrill Lynch Cliffe Dekker Hogan and
Hartson
Date: 01/11/2004 05:56:58 PM Supplied by www.sharenet.co.za
Produced by the JSE SENS Department
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