Black economic empowerment ownership of South African services giant Bidvest has increased to approximately 35%, the group said on Monday.
Black empowerment consortium Dinatla Investment Holdings acquired 15% of Bidvest in November last year and BEE ownership of Bidvest has now increased to approximately 35%, Bidvest Chairman Brian Joffe said on Monday.
Bidvest has appointed three consortium members to the board as non-executive directors and a number of historically disadvantaged individuals have been employed as senior divisional executives.
Bidvest management is committed to transformation and the board is constituting a transformation committee to oversee the process which will encompass all the elements of the recently promulgated Broad Based Black Empowerment Act, said Joffe.
Bidvest on Monday reported a 2% increase in headline earnings per share to 248 cents for the six months ended December 31 from 243,2 cents a year ago.
The distribution per share was increased by 5% to 113,4 cents per share from 108 cents previously.
The group reported a 9,6% decline in revenue to R22,21-billion from R24,57-billion before, while operating income was flat at R1,133-billion from R1,128-billion before.
Operating income before translation losses was up 1,4% to R1,14-billion from R1,12-billion before. – I-Net Bridge