Focus is the buzzword

The restructuring of South Africa's unwieldy industrial and commercial structures may at last be picking up speed. Conglomerates seem more eager than before to unbundle, seek focus and pick up investments in complementary operations abroad. Richard Stovin-Bradford reports.

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South Africa’s largest companies by market capitalization
(Rand bn)

1

Firstrand

48.8

2

Anglo American

46.3

3

Richemont

42.9

4

De Beers

39.1

5

South African Brews

38.6

6

Billiton

29.6

7

Liberty Life

27.1

8

Anglo Gold

27

9

Standard Bank Investment Corp.

26.2

10

Nedcor

25.5

11

PQ Holdings

21.1

12

Didata

20.7

13

Sasol

19.4

14

Investec

18.4

15

BOE

18.3

16

Rembrandt

17.8

17

Absa

17.6

18

Amplats

16.9

19

Gensec

14.6

20

Theta

13.5

Source: Reuters

Corporate South Africa is on a mission to make up lost time after years of economic isolation that have left it at a big disadvantage internationally. Private and public companies have been swift to embrace the challenge of getting into line with international best practice by streamlining operations.

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