South Africa Inflation at 10-Month High as Food Costs Surge

South Africa Inflation at 10-Month High as Food Costs Surge

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South African consumer-price growth quickened in December as food costs surged, complicating the central bank’s task less than a week before it will decide on borrowing costs. Inflation accelerated to a 10-month high of 6.8 percent from 6.6 percent in November, Statistics South Africa said in a report released Wednesday in the capital, Pretoria. The median estimate of 24 economists surveyed by Bloomberg was for inflation of 6.5 percent. Prices rose 0.4 percent in…

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GAIA Infrastructure acquires 25.2% stake in Dorper Wind Farm, South Africa

GAIA Infrastructure acquires 25.2% stake in Dorper Wind Farm, South Africa

JOHANNESBURGH (Capital Markets in Africa) – Gaia Infrastructure Capital Limited (“GAIA” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce that the Company’s listing has transferred from a SPAC (“Special Purpose Acquisition Company”) to the Investment Services sector of the JSE Limited (“JSE”). The move was facilitated by the completion of the acquisition of an effective see-through economic interest of 25.2% in Dorper Wind Farm (Proprietary) Limited (“Dorper” or “the Acquisition”) for R501 million (“Viable Asset Transaction”)….

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Africa’s Most Valuable Business Worth Less Than What It Owns

Africa’s Most Valuable Business Worth Less Than What It Owns

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Fifteen years ago, a South African media company invested $34 million in an obscure Chinese Internet developer. Today that stake is worth $88 billion.  All Naspers Limited, now Africa’s most valuable company, has to do is figure out how to make money from its other properties: The whole company is worth only $72 billion, less than its stake in Shenzhen-based Tencent Holdings Limited. Investors aren’t impressed with Naspers’s operations in pay-TV, newspapers and e-commerce…

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South Africa Scrambles as $10.3 Billion in Welfare Threatened

South Africa Scrambles as $10.3 Billion in Welfare Threatened

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South Africa’s government, set to miss a deadline to appoint a new distributor of welfare grants worth about $10.3 billion a year to more than 17 million people, asked aspirant bidders to an information session as the end of a contract with Net 1 UEPS Technologies Inc. looms. The South African Social Security Agency, which oversees the monthly payment system, took the first step toward appointing a new distributor at the session…

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Acacia Jumps in London on Talks for $4 Billion Endeavour Merger

Acacia Jumps in London on Talks for $4 Billion Endeavour Merger

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Acacia Mining Plc jumped in London trading after the gold miner confirmed it is in early-stage talks with rival Africa-focused producer Endeavour Mining Corp. about a possible merger of the two companies which have a combined value of about $4 billion. Acacia, which mines the precious metal in Tanzania, jumped as much as 7.7 percent to the highest since November 21. The stock traded at 435.1 pence a share at…

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Barclays Africa Faces Apartheid-Era Investigation on Bankorp

Barclays Africa Faces Apartheid-Era Investigation on Bankorp

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Barclays Africa Group Ltd. is being investigated by South Africa’s graft ombudsman over whether it received undue state support when it bought Bankorp during the apartheid era, and whether it should repay the money. The Barclays unit said it’s “regrettable” that a preliminary report by the ombudsman was leaked to the media, adding that the document contains “several factual and legal inaccuracies.” The Johannesburg-based lender, then known as Absa, did not benefit from…

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South African President Won’t Accept Third ANC Leader Term

South African President Won’t Accept Third ANC Leader Term

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South African President Jacob Zuma said he won’t accept a nomination for a third term as head of the country’s ruling party, which is “ready” for a woman to take over the leadership. The 105-year-old African National Congress will choose a new president at a national conference in December when Zuma’s term ends. His ex-wife and the outgoing African Union chairwoman, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and ANC Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa are seen as frontrunners for the position. …

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