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GQEBERHA – ISUZU MOTORS South Africa (ISUZU) received awards in three categories at the prestigious 2024 naamsa, the Automotive Business Council, Accelerator Awards held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Friday, 18th October 2024. The Awards include the Transformation Performance Award, Heavy and Medium Commercial vehicles of the year for New Vehicle Sales […]
Kariega/Kigali –Volkswagen Group Africa has announced the start of operations of its multifunctional facility to pilot modern farming with e-tractors in Africa. The facility is in Gashora, Rwanda, about 60km from the capital, Kigali. The GenFarm Project is a holistic ecosystem of e-powered mechanised farming service for rural areas in Africa that is reliable, sustainable …
Cape Town – The USAID Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), launched by the United States(U.S.) government in 2010, to invest in supporting emerging African leaders, will showcase 100 YALI alumni at a dedicated pavilion at the Africa Tech Festival 2024. With more than 15,000 attendees from across the continent and the world, the Africa Tech …
For some time now, an increasing number of consumers have turned to banks for funeral insurance, contributing to the surprising resilience of the insurance industry, despite shrinking households’ disposable incomes in the past year. At Standard Bank, we experienced a notable 17% year-on-year increase in new business sales to the end of June 2024. Furthermore, …
WesBank, proud sponsor of the naamsa Accelerator Awards, congratulates all the winners in this year’s competition, as well as the finalists who made the shortlist for 2024. Held at the conclusion of SA Auto Week, the awards bestowed honour on individuals and organisations that stood out in 2024 for consistently pursuing excellence in their respective …
Cape Town-based interior designer Kim Williams announces the opening of the highly anticipated Kim Williams Design showroom. This vibrant and immersive space invites visitors to explore and interact with every aspect of her creations, including exclusive collaborations. One such collaboration to be unveiled at the opening is the Rakgadi Interior Range – a partnership between …
The 2024 Bellville Business Expo (BBEXPO) successfully concluded its second annual event on 17 and 18 October 2024 at the Tyger Valley Centre. This eagerly awaited gathering has established itself as a premier business event in Cape Town’s Northern Suburbs. This year’s expo was a resounding success, bringing together over 300 local businesses, industry leaders, …
Lenmed Shifa Private Hospital in Durban reports that they are delighted to announce the official opening of their newly revamped Surgical Ward, a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to providing specialized care for surgical patients and post-operative recovery. This new ward, with a capacity of 16 beds, has been meticulously designed to ensure the highest standard of …
South Africans have faced a challenging year dealing with sluggish economic growth, limited consumer spending power, and unprecedented hikes in fuel prices that disrupt daily life, putting extra pressure on individuals’ and businesses’ finances. This is according to Sebastien Alexanderson, the Head of National Debt Advisors, who said that as the cost of living continues …
Chinese SUV brand, Jetour, has experienced rapid growth in recent years, having sold over 1.22 million vehicles across its five product lines globally within 70 months alone. From January to August this year, Jetour sold 310 000 vehicles, surpassing their 2023 annual sales. “Compared with other auto brands established in the past six years, Jetour …
Nearly half of salary earners are left with less than R1,000 or have negative balances by payday. Standard Bank analysed data from over 402,000 individuals who receive their salaries on popular payment dates, including mid-month, the 25th, and month-end. The day before payday, 21% had R1,000 or less, while 28% had negative balances or were …
The Hot Dip Galvanizers Association of Southern Africa (HDGASA) plays an important role in supporting the energy value chain – which spans clean, renewable and green energy – as it powers towards key sustainability targets, according to Executive Director, Robin Clarke. After a nine year ‘teething period’, during which key energy sector stakeholders and local …
Owning a vehicle in South Africa is more than just a status symbol. It’s a necessity for many, stemming from the challenges that continue to plague the country’s public transport system. However, beyond its primary purpose as a means of transport, vehicle ownership is also viewed by many as a means to secure a loan …
Given today’s increasingly volatile investment markets, structured products have emerged as a powerful tool, offering a unique combination of capital protection and potential for significant market-linked gains. Once known as the domain of institutional investors, these sophisticated financial instruments have undergone significant transformation, evolving from complex, high-cost investments with prohibitive minimums to more accessible and …
Monday, 21 October 2024: Eskom is urging prepaid electricity customers to recode their meters by 24 November 2024, as required by the Standard Transfer Specification Association (STSA). After this deadline, meters will no longer accept electricity tokens unless they are updated to Key Revision Number (KRN) 2. In response to recent reports, including one from...
During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic there was lot of talk around the end of the traditional office work. As the largest African bank by assets, operating in 20 African countries, Standard Bank’s data reveals that the real estate industry has been relatively resilient and performing well post the pandemic and the high interest …
The FSCA warns the public against Juan Albert Mayer; Umvuzo Lifestyle Creators; AW Fund Management (Pty) Ltd; Dial A Mula Administrators (Pty) Ltd; Hunters Wealth Empowerment (Pty) Ltd; and Umvuzo Management Group (Pty) Ltd. The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) warns the public against doing any financial services related business with Juan Albert Mayer (Mayer); …
Gqeberha, South Africa, 16 October 2024 – The Coega Development Corporation (COEGA) is honoured to have received the Merit Award for Best Service Provider to Exporters: New Contracts, at the Eastern Cape Exporter of the Year Awards, which took place in Gqeberha on Friday, 11 October 2024. The Best Service Provider Category recognises organisations that […]
On October 17th, the Chery Global User Champion Night commenced in Wuhu, China, where top KOCs gathered to participate in this exciting event. After intense competition, South African lifestyle trendsetter, Sphokuhle Ntshalintshali, emerged victorious, receiving Chery’s highest KOC honor – the Global Champion Award – for her remarkable influence and contribution. Sphokuhle N. is a …
Friday, 18 October 2024: The Generation Operational Recovery Plan is on track to deliver yet another milestone, with the longest stretch of uninterrupted power supply in five years. The milestone will be reached on Day 206 of loadshedding suspension that falls on Saturday, 19 October 2024. Today, loadshedding remains suspended for 205 consecutive days since...
Chery South Africa is pleased to announce Paul Melinda as the first recipient of the Chery Scholarship Challenge. Launched earlier this year, the initiative aims to celebrate South Africa’s youth by empowering brilliant young individuals. Candidates were challenged to develop a captivating advertising campaign for the Tiggo 4 Pro. Over 880 registrations and more than …
GAC Motor South Africa has announced its expansion in KwaZulu-Natal through a partnership with Bidvest McCarthy Gateway. The addition of GAC Motor to this dealership highlights the growth of the brand in South Africa and reinforces GAC Motor’s status as a significant player in the country’s automotive industry. This extensive network and broad range of …
Vantage Capital (www.VantageCapital.co), Africa's largest mezzanine fund manager, announced today that it had closed a €66 million mezzanine investment in Camusat Holding S.A.S, the proceeds of which will be used to refinance debt and fund the capital expenditure required for expansion of the group's AktivCo division. Vantage Capital's investment is part of a global financing package of €81m provided in consortium with Eurazeo, a leading European investment group.
Camusat is a leading telecommunications player managing fully integrated and sustainable business models for the deployment and management of telecom infrastructure whilst championing the decarbonization of mobile network operators (MNOs). Partnering with major investment funds that support green investments, Camusat is pursuing its ambition to become the leading “Infra as a Service” partner for the mobile telecom industry, with a broad presence in emerging markets, especially in Africa. The group operates across twenty countries (including fifteen on the African continent) and through two synergistic divisions, AktivCo and OpCo:
Since inception, Camusat has been capitalizing on the rapid expansion of the telecom industry, but most importantly the ever-growing need of MNOs to outsource non-core operations to specialized service providers. This trend is observed worldwide but is more prevalent in emerging markets, especially Africa. As network coverage remains relatively low, MNOs are being pushed by regulators to ramp up their infrastructure investment especially to increase coverage in rural areas, where most of the population lives. MNOs therefore need to contract with service providers like Camusat to support the rapid and viable roll-out and management of their tower infrastructure.
In this context, Camusat has established itself as the key strategic partner for telecom operators such as Orange, Moov Africa (Maroc Telecom group), MTN, Vodafone, Airtel and others. The group's comprehensive offering drives long-term performance for mobile networks and inclusive connectivity, digitalization and sustainable access to technology, making it a one-stop-shop for MNOs. Its multi-decade experience and track record attest to the quality of its performance.
Mr. Richard Thomas, CEO of Camusat, commented, “we are very pleased to have concluded the transaction with Vantage Capital. This financial and strategic partnership comes at a time when we are further expanding our presence in Africa, and we are confident that Vantage Capital's extensive network and expertise on the continent will be a great support in achieving our objectives.”
Mr. Luc Albinski, Executive Chairman at Vantage Capital, added, “we are proud to partner with such a leading and dynamic group as Camusat. Throughout the process, we have been impressed by management's deep knowledge of the telecom industry, but also their firm commitment to help increase connectivity in parts of Africa where network coverage remains underdeveloped.”
Mr. Thibaut de Rodellec, Deputy CEO of Camusat, said, “we were convinced from our very first discussions that Vantage Capital and Camusat would be a great fit. We always look beyond the financial aspect when forming new partnerships, and we were glad to discover that our firms share common ethics, vision and dedication. We will ensure this partnership is a success for all stakeholders.”
Mr. Driss Benabdeslam, Partner at Vantage Capital, concluded, “by investing in Camusat, we are backing a group that is engaged in a vital and buoyant industry and constantly strives for operational and corporate excellence. Camusat has incorporated best-in-class ESG practices and implemented various CSR measures directed at supporting local communities and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions from the telecom sector. We are thrilled to support the group in creating more value and generating an even greater positive social impact over the years to come.”
This transaction represents Vantage Capital's 39th investment across four generations of funds with its portfolio of investments spread across eleven African countries.
Vantage Capital was advised by Clifford Chance (in Morocco) who acted as its legal counsel. KPMG (in France) and Webber Wentzel (in South Africa) provided tax advice, KPMG (in France) was the financial advisor, Emerton (in France) provided commercial advice, and Ibis Consulting (in France) reviewed the environmental impact.
Camusat was advised by Goodwin Procter (in France) who acted as their legal counsel and Marlborough Partners (in France) who acted as financial advisor.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Vantage Capital Group.
About Vantage Capital:
Founded in 2001, Vantage Capital is an Africa-focused fund manager that has raised funds of over $1.6 billion.
Since 2006, Vantage Capital's Mezzanine division has made 39 investments across four successive funds into 11 African countries, making it the largest and most experienced independent mezzanine funder on the continent. In addition, Vantage Capital's GreenX division has made 15 senior debt investments into South African solar and wind energy projects across three funds. Vantage Capital launched Vantage Best in Class in 2022 to provide long-term financial and strategic support to education businesses operating in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. As a first step, Vantage Best in Class has partnered with Maple Bear Global Schools, the largest and fastest growing franchise of K-12 bilingual schools in the world in a €100 million investment programme for the Central & Eastern European region.
Vantage Capital targets mezzanine debt opportunities of $10-50m across more than a dozen key African markets.
Mezzanine debt is an intermediate form of risk capital, which is situated between senior debt, the least risky tranche of the capital structure, and equity, the riskiest tranche of the capital structure. It combines elements of both debt and equity thereby providing companies with long-term funding on terms which are less dilutive to shareholders than pure equity.
Website: www.VantageCapital.co.za
About Camusat:
Headquartered in Paris, Camusat is a global group operating in the telecommunications industry across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America.
Over almost five decades of existence, it has established itself as leading player and a key partner for telecom operators, thanks to a comprehensive offering and best-in-class capabilities. With the launch of its AktivCo division in 2017, the group pioneered the ESCO (Energy as a Service) and TWESCO (Tower & Energy as a Service) models in Africa, enabling clients to achieve significant cost-savings and streamline their cash outflows, while ensuring a positive environmental impact with the use of renewable energies, low environmental solutions and smart technologies to support the deployment, extension and management of telecom infrastructure. The group has been able to secure infrastructure debt funding from major development finance institutions, including FEI (Facility for Energy Inclusion), Africa Go Green Fund, Proparco, and Norfund.
Camusat employs more than 2,000 people and is guided by a highly dedicated and experienced management team with deep industry expertise and firm commitment to financial, operational, and environmental excellence.
Since 2016, the group has been majority-owned by Equistone, a leading mid-cap private equity fund in Europe with 12 billion euros of assets under management since inception. Camusat's management owns the remaining share capital.
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