SOUTH African media and telecommunications group Johnnic has bought a 40% stake in FirstRand’s eBucks.com’s online customer appreciation project for R40m. The transaction is part of a deal to create a joint customer appreciation programme with a base of more than seven million clients. Johnnic says it will merge the customer loyalty schemes of its various groups, including awards for calls made or received via subsidiary cellular phone operator MTN as well as awards earned by members of Johnnic bookseller, Exclusive Books’ Fanatics club. eBucks.com rewards account holders for a wide range of transactions within the FirstRand group. – Reuters