OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Friday 9.00am. STANDARD Bank Investment Corporation (Stanbic) remained defiant to a hostile takeover bid by Nedcor on Thursday, while revealing that Nedcor offered a far better deal to the bank in September last year. Stanbic CE Jacko Maree said on Thursday Nedcor suggested a swap ratio of 4,35 Stanbic shares for […]

SWEDISH truck and bus maker Scania said on Friday it has won an order for 340 South African buses worth about $38-million. The deal between Scania’s South African subsidiary Scania South Africa and Great North Transport of South Africa was signed in a ceremony in Johannesburg as part of a Sweden-South Africa partnership week. Scania, […]

ONE of the bidders for the third mobile phone licence said on Wednesday it fears the announcement of the winner could be snagged by a probe into alleged corruption at telecoms watchdog the South Africa Telecommunications Regulatory Authority. Dutch-registered Mobile Systems International Cellular Investments Holdings (MSI) said the delay could hit the business plans of […]

LOCAL retailers, damaged by the country’s recent economic woes, will get a boost from interest rate cuts, subdued inflation and upbeat consumer spending ahead of the millennium, analysts said on Friday. They said the retail sector’s pre-Christmas rebound is expected to take root despite the Reserve Bank’s move this week to put breaks on easing […]

FOUR people were killed early on Friday when a private plane crashed shortly after take-off from Nairobi’s international airport, state radio reported. Three people died instantly when the plane, operated by Aircraft Leasing Company, crashed shortly after taking off from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for Dar es Salaam at 0245 GMT. The pilot, reportedly Danish, […]

ARCHBISHOP Desmond Tutu said on Thursday he is disappointed President Thabo Mbeki has decided against a one-on-one meeting with the Dalai Lama when he visits South Africa early next month. Mbeki won’t be meeting Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader because of pressure from the Chinese government. Former Chinese premier Li Peng and his delegation had raised […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Friday 5.00pm. LAST is a word that will probably feature prominently in the thoughts of national soccer coach Trott Moloto as he prepares Bafana Bafana to face Sweden in the Nelson Mandela Inauguration Challenge on Saturday. It will be the last chance this century for South Africa to end a five-year […]

A LONG-AWAITED plan to merge South Africa’s three financial exchanges was scuppered on Wednesday when two of the bourses voted against it, objecting to the shape of the union and questioning its short-term benefits. The proposed merger, which had been expected to be in force by year-end after three years on the drawing board, got […]

A LEADING drink distributor is combining canny marketing with a sombre message about drinking and driving over Christmas and the millennium, offering a free breathalyser with every bottle of its spirits. The free kit, bearing the message “celebrate wisely”, will be hung round the neck of every bottle of Gilbey’s Bells, Johnnie Walker and J&B […]

BANKING and financial services shares, which analysts say have languished in deeply oversold territory, are expected to launch a comeback next week,but the wider market is harder to call. Analysts said on Friday that the approach of the millennium date change and its attendant uncertainties, perceived to be more acute in emerging markets, would sap […]