Cape Times 2025-10-22

Coca-Cola HBC will pursue a secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), following Tuesday’s announcement that the Coca-Cola Company and Gutsche Family Investments (GFI) have agreed to sell a 75% controlling interest in Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) to Coca-Cola HBC. The transaction is valued at roughly $2.6 billion (R45 billion). As part of the deal, the Coca-Cola Company will sell 41.52% of its 66.52% stake in CCBA to Coca-Cola HBC, while GFI will sell its entire 33.48% stake. This gives Coca-Cola HBC a 75% interest in CCBA, valuing 100% of the company at $3.4 billion in equity terms. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2026. CCBA is the largest Coca-Cola bottler in Africa, operating in 14 countries and responsible for about 40% of Coca-Cola’s total…

Domestic carrier Flysafair has confirmed that its flights to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) have been disrupted amid the suspension of the airport’s Instrument Flight Procedures (IFPs) for Runway 05. This is a setback that aviation stakeholders attribute to the Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) missing key regulatory deadlines. The suspension, which affects aircraft operations in poor weather conditions, comes at a crucial time as South Africa’s tourism sector gears up for the busy festive season. "Yes, unfortunately we are affected with flights into KMIA given the suspension of those flight procedures - obviously this is only in the relevant weather conditions - when weather is clear we can get in. We are reviewing each instance as it arises," said Kirby Gordon, Flysafair chief marketing officer. "When the weather…

The Foschini Group (TFG) shares plunged over 19% on the JSE Tuesday afternoon after it reported that headline earnings per share for the six months to September 30 are expected to be 20% to 25% lower than the same period last year. The group directors said the SA economy had softened “significantly” towards the end of its interim period. Consumer sentiment and discretionary spend in South Africa had remained subdued for longer than expected, despite moderating inflation and recent interest rate cuts, the South Africa, UK and Australia clothing and homeware retail group said in a trading statement. The share price traded at R97.25 on Tuesday afternoon, a price that was also well down on R145.05 a year earlier. Negative operating leverage arose in the group from subdued sales growth…

Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago confirms discussions to lower SA’s inflation target South African Reserve Bank (Sarb) Governor Lesetja Kganyago said on Tuesday that the country has entered an era of “low and stable inflation” and confirmed that discussions with the National Treasury are at an advanced stage to formally lower South Africa’s inflation target. Speaking at the SA Tomorrow Investment Conference 2025, Kganyago said a joint statement by the Sarb and the Treasury had already been issued following their meeting with the Fiscal and Monetary Policy Commission, and that a formal announcement would be made “as soon as it is politically possible.” “It was important that the joint team of the Treasury and the Reserve Bank be given time to tie the loose ends before a formal announcement could…

South Africa’s largest listed companies are demonstrating resilience despite facing persistent structural challenges, high borrowing costs, and infrastructure bottlenecks, according to analysts at Moody’s Investors Service. While the country’s economy remains constrained by weak growth, high unemployment, and ongoing energy and logistics challenges, blue-chip corporates on the JSE continue to leverage strong balance sheets and diversified funding strategies to weather the difficult environment. “These are diversified, blue-chip corporates with access to international financing as well, though more domestic than international,” said Iker Ballestero Barrutia, corporate finance analyst at Moody’s. “But this varies significantly by sector and company size.” Despite improved access to capital through local and international markets, the cost of capital has risen significantly over the past five years. A recent decline in benchmark interest rates is beginning to…

When corporate leaders gather around sustainability tables, the focus often rests on compliance, reporting frameworks, carbon audits, and ESG disclosures. These are important components of a responsible business, but increasingly, they are no longer sufficient. There is a strategic gap in how we think about sustainability, particularly across South Africa and the broader continent. It is a gap I call “the Circular Blind Spot”, and it is high time we address it. The Circular Economy (CE) is not a new concept, but it remains underutilised by African corporates. At its core, CE is about intentionally designing out waste, extending the life of resources, and regenerating natural systems. It shifts us away from the traditional linear model of take -> make -> dispose, and toward a regenerative one of reduce ->…