South African banking group Standard Bank Group and Liberty Group announced on Wednesday that they have entered into heads of agreement with a consortium led by Safika, which includes Nduna and Simeka and which will include a broad based empowerment trust, in terms of which the consortium will acquire a 25,2%
interest in Stanlib.
A new limited liability company (Newco) will be formed to hold the Consortium’s interest in Stanlib, the groups said in a statement. Standard Bank and Liberty will each sell 12,6% of the issued ordinary shares of Stanlib to Newco.
The Consortium’s membership comprises parties from the South African empowerment sector.
Safika is an investment holding company which focuses on making and managing strategic investments. It has investments in the fields of communications, infrastructure, human capital, natural resources and financial services. The directors of Safika include Saki Macozoma, Moss Ngoasheng and Vuli Cuba. Safika will have a 51% shareholding in Newco.
The broad based empowerment trust will be created for the benefit of organisations representing broad based communities from historically disadvantaged backgrounds. The principal beneficiaries of the BBET will be community organisations, selected historically black universities, an NGO investment trust, youth groups, women’s groups and black economic empowerment entrepreneurial groups. The BBET will have a 35% shareholding in Newco.
Nduna is led by Ronnie Ntuli who has recently completed two terms as president of the Johannesburg Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and serves as director on a number of boards. He was recently appointed as chief executive officer of Andisa Capital, which is the new empowered financial services company created in partnership with Standard Bank Group. Nduna will have a 9% shareholding in Newco.
Simeka is an investment holding company which provides management consulting, training, capacity building, employee benefits solutions, communications and marketing services to the South African government, public sector organisations and international agencies. Simeka will have a 5% shareholding in Newco.
The ordinary shares of Newco will be owned 51% by Safika and 49% by the other members of the Consortium.
Subsequent to the implementation of the transaction, the chairman of Stanlib will be Macozoma, who has agreed to make himself available to be appointed as the Chairman of Stanlib for a minimum of three years.
Newco will be the exclusive empowerment partner of Stalib in Africa. In return, Newco and all of its shareholders, for so long as they are direct or indirect shareholders of Stanlib, have undertaken to restrict their investment in asset management and wealth management in Africa to Stanlib.
For the purposes of the deal, Stanlib has been valued at R1,4-billion. Standard Bank Group and Liberty Group will jointly and exclusively provide the financing for the transaction on commercial terms. The financing to Newco is expected to be repaid within five to seven years.
On conclusion of the transaction Macozoma will be invited to join the boards of directors of Libhold (LBH) and Liberty Group. – I-Net Bridge