Exchange-Listed Companies
Sanlam has increased its stake in Shriram General Insurance (SGIC) and Shriram Life Insurance Company (SLIC). India is seen as a core market and strategic pillar to achieving long term earnings growth and sustainable shareholder value creation for Sanlam. Sanlam has acquired a further 10.74% stake in SGIC and 12.02% in SLIC from TPG India Investments II and Shriram Ownership Trust. The R2 billion purchase consideration will be partly funded from the net proceeds of its R3,3 billion disposal of a 1.56% sale of its Shriram Finance (SFL) stake to Shriram Value Services. Following the transaction, Sanlam’s effective economic shareholding in SGIC will increase to 50.99% and to 54.40% in SLIC. Its shareholding in SFL will decrease to 9.54%.
Shoprite has teamed up to form a venture capital fund with four global grocery leaders – Ahold Delhaize (US, Europe, Indonesia), Tesco (UK, ROI, Europe), Woolworths Group (Australia, New Zealand) and Empire Company/Sobeys (Canada) with Shoprite representing the African footprint. The new collaborative retail venture capital fund, W23 Global, will seek to invest US$125 million over five years in the world’s most innovative start-ups and scale-ups with the potential to transform grocery retail and address the sector’s sustainability challenges. Each retailer is an equal funder and partner in W23 Global, while their CEO’s will sit on the investment committee. Their ambition is to offer their portfolio companies faster pathways to global scale, without being exposed to a venture fund anchored by a single strategic investor.
This week, MultiChoice told shareholders that it would work closely with Canal+ on the mandatory offer made to shareholders. Canal+ has offered MultiChoice shareholders R125 per share in cash, significantly above the minimum price of R105 required by the takeover regulations – the price at which it acquired shares which triggered the mandatory offer. If shareholders with at least 90% of eligible MultiChoice shares accept the offer, then MultiChoice may delist from the JSE. However, shareholders may have the opportunity to participate in Canal+’s own proposed listing in Europe as part of a secondary inward listing on the JSE.
Micawber 832 purchased 185 Katherine Street (Pri-movie Park) and 1 Charles Crescent in Eastgate from Accelerate Property Fund in October 2023 for R117 million. Accelerate has announced that that Micawber has elected to nominate Emidomax in its place as the purchaser of Pri-movie Park and Minropox as the purchaser of 1 Charles Cresent (both beneficially owned by Africrest Properties and Old Mutual). All other terms and conditions remain unchanged.
The saga of the off-market takeover offer by Goldway Capital Investment of MC Mining shares ratchet up another notch this week with the company’s board advising shareholders to consider accepting the offer. With Goldway proposing to delist the company, citing limited liquidity in the trading of the shares, MC Mining’s board believes that there is no likelihood of an alternative bid or competing proposal on more favourable terms in the near term. Goldway, a consortium which includes MC Mining’s largest shareholders Senosi Group Investment Holdings and Dendoceptin, has an 83.67% stake in MC Mining.
Following the acquisition in March 2023 of a 74.2% stake in IQbusiness, Reunert is considering merging the business with +OneX into a single client-focused business, to create a digital integrator within Reunert ICT. The final decision on the combination is still to be made and will requiring the respective board and shareholder approvals.
Unlisted Companies
Vantage Capital, Africa’s largest mezzanine debt fund manager, has announced that it has made a R346 million investment into Procera Group, a South African business process outsourcing (BPO) services provider. Vantage’s investment comprises the acquisition of a significant minority equity stake from the Procera founders as well as the provision of a mezzanine facility to support future strategic acquisitions by Procera. The group currently services over 50 local and international blue-chip clients across key industries such as Retail, Financial Services, Energy and Telecommunications in South Africa, Namibia, United Kingdom, United States and Australia.
Isipho Capital has added to its portfolio with the acquisition of the Hino dealership located in Pomona Johannesburg, making it the first 100% black-owned Hino dealership in the country. The dealership is also 65% women-owned. Other businesses in its portfolio include interests in Mr Coach, which specialises in ambulances, mobile clinics, hearses, buses, and other conversions, as well as Kholeka Engineering, which is known for its manufacture of truck bodies, trailers, people carriers and water tankers.
Enko Capital Managers has exited its 2015 investment in Madison Financial Services. The exit of the Zambian microfinance services group, by Enko Africa Private Equity Fund to Cape-based asset manager Mergence Investment Managers is by way of the sale of its entire equity and debt. Madison operates general and life insurance businesses along with microfinance activities in Zambia and a general insurance business in Tanzania.
DealMakers is SA’s M&A publication.
