Aspen (JSE:APN) is pleased to confirm that the first supplies to South Africa of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines, from the new API source located in Europe, will be released to Johnson & Johnson from its flagship Gqeberha-based manufacturing site later today. These vaccines will be further distributed throughout South Africa in line with the various distribution arrangements between Johnson & Johnson, the National Department of Health and other stakeholders. In addition, vaccines from these batches will be made available through the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team/African Union platform.

Standard Bank Group (“SBG”) is proposing to buy 100% of Liberty Holdings Limited (“Liberty”) and to integrate Liberty more closely into the greater group. This will, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals, lead to the de-listing of Liberty and Liberty becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of SBG. SBG currently owns 54% of Liberty’s issued ordinary shares.

Imperial (JSE:IPL) announced that it has entered into a transaction implementation agreement regarding a cash offer of ZAR66 per share from DP World to acquire all outstanding shares of Imperial, implying an estimated aggregate cash consideration of c. ZAR 12.7 billion. This offer represents a premium of 39.5% to the Imperial share price as at 7 July 2021 and a 34.2% premium to the 30-day volume weighted average price of Imperial.

The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) is pleased to announce that it has approved the listing of six SA Taxi Holdings’ social bonds on the bourse’s Sustainability Segment. The six social bonds valued at a total of R900 million will have a maturity of between one and 10 years.