RICHARD Branson on Wednesday launched the Virgin Group of Companies’ latest product in South Africa – bottles of still mineral water. Virgin Water, sourced locally in the Drakensberg mountains, will be sold at the group’s newly acquired South African chain of Virgin Active health clubs, Virgin boss Branson said at a media conference. “We’re experimenting in South Africa and may take it around the world,” he said. Virgin bought the defunct Health & Racquet Club for R319.6m in mid-December, adding 85 fitness centres nationwide in South Africa to its stable of four health clubs in the United Kingdom. The group said it intends to recruit 400 000 Virgin Active members in South Africa over the next three years, and will invest up to R200m refurbishing the clubs. Branson said his company might also enter the South African mobile phone and financial services markets in future. – Reuters