/ 3 August 1999

SASOL BUYS INTO POLIFIN

A DIVISION of Sasol is to acquire AECI’s 40% stake in Polifin for 970c a share or $2,13-billion, Polifin is South Africa’s leading producer of monomers, polymers, chlor-akali chemicals and related products. In a separate statement, oil-from-coal group Sasol said its wholly owned subsidiary Sasol Chemical Industries Ltd (SCI) will, in addition to the AECI stake, acquire all the shares in Polifin it does not already own. SCI already owns 50,1% of Polifin. AECI is undergoing a restructuring subsequent to a failed merger with Sasol last year. It said at the time it planned to withdraw from commodity chemical businesses and specifically from Polifin. Sasol made clear its intentions to buy the AECI stake at the beginning of July this year.