Absa Bank is to finance the biggest black economic empowerment (BEE) property deal to date in South Africa, the bank announced on Tuesday.
It involves a consortium of three BEE groups having acquired 14% of Growthpoint Properties Limited shares and debentures and a similar stake in the company’s property management contract.
”Absa and Omsfin will each provide around R350-million to fund 80% of the purchase,” read a statement.
”The balance of the required finance will be provided by Growthpoint and Investec Bank.”
The transaction is worth R1-billion, said the bank.
Growthpoint Properties is South Africa’s largest listed property company with property assets exceeding R9-billion and market capitalisation of more than R7-billion.
”This is the first deal of its kind in the listed property sector”, said Growthpoint chairperson Sam Hackner.
The consortium will appoint three directors to the board of Growthpoint.
The BEE consortium consists of three broadbased empowerment companies: Amabubesi Investments, Miganu Investment Holdings and Unipalm Investment Holdings, each of which will own a third interest in the BEE consortium which in turn will own its interest in Growthpoint through a trust, the statement read.
”Amabubesi is a new generation black-controlled and managed investment holding company led by chairperson Bulelani Ngcuka.
”The company was incorporated in 2002 and has pursued strategic investments in the areas of information technology, security, transport and logistics, health care, motor retailing and leisure and tourism.”
Miganu is a wholly black-owned and managed investment holding company formed in 2002 by Mzolisi Diliza to provide a platform to consolidate his mining investments and to allow him to exploit opportunities in the property, information, communication and technology, health care and leisure and tourism sectors.
”A key member and significant investor in Miganu is Dr Penuell Maduna, former Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.”
Unipalm is a black owned and managed company established in 2001 and chaired by Thandi Ramathesele.
The largest shareholder (with an 18% holding) is Afripalm, an investment vehicle owned by Ragavan Moonsamy and Lazarus Zim.
”Unipalm’s shareholders includes a national broad base of 35 000 people that includes women and has strong rural and urban participation.
”The company has a number of investments in the agriculture, media, tourism, engineering, professional services and property sectors.”
Absa said the deal had stringent stipulations set up to ensure that should the current BEE consortium wish to sell its stake they would be required to sell to a party that would maintain its BEE status. – Sapa