Five notable Southern Africa private equity and venture capital exits

We highlight five Southern Africa private equity and venture capital exits over the past 12 months, as featured in our sister publication, Africa Private Equity News’ January 2025 Dealmaker’s Log – a database of reported investment deals, exits, and fundraising closes. Subscribe to this service here

1. Old Mutual Private Equity exits Holdsport to UK-based retail giant

UK-based retail giant, Frasers Group, acquired South African sporting, outdoor and recreation goods company, Holdsport, from Old Mutual Private Equity and Holdsport’s management.

Holdsport is a diversified business operating across retail, wholesale, manufacturing, distribution, and e-commerce, focused on the sport, outdoor, and recreation sectors across South Africa and Namibia. It is home to Sportsmans Warehouse, a sporting goods chain in the region, and Outdoor Warehouse, an outdoor, camping, hiking, adventure retailer. It also owns Shelflife, a South African sneaker and streetwear store. Read the full article

2. South Africa: Pape Fund 3 acquires Nedbank Private Equity’s stake in Entersekt

Entersekt, a financial authentication company, announced that PAPE Fund Managers had expanded its investment in the company.

Following an initial investment in July 2022, PAPE Fund 3 acquired Nedbank Private Equity’s equity stake in Entersekt, increasing its total investment and ownership stake. Read the full article

3. Phatisa and partners sell 100% interest in Rolfes

Phatisa, through its Phatisa Food Fund 2, along with Masimong Chemicals and Sabvest Finance and Guarantee Corporation, have agreed to sell their combined 100% stake in Rolfes Holdings – a South Africa-based provider of food ingredients and diversified chemicals – to Solevo, a pan-African speciality chemicals distributor.

Solevo will also sell a 12.5% interest in Rolfes to Afropulse Group, a long-term capital investor, as part of a partnership to continue growing the business. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Read the full article

4. Enko Capital exits Zambian company to South Africa’s Mergence

Enko Capital Managers, managers of the Enko Africa Private Equity Fund (EAPEF), exited its investment in Madison Financial Services, an insurance and microfinance services group in Zambia.

EAPEF’s exit of Madison was by way of the sale of its entire equity and debt investments in the company to subsidiaries of Mergence Investment Managers, a Cape Town-based asset manager of several funds spanning specialist equity, fixed income, multi-asset, infrastructure, debt, and private equity funds. Read the full article

5. Ticketmaster acquires Knife Capital portfolio company Quicket

Ticketmaster, the world’s leading ticket marketplace, acquired South Africa’s Quicket, a major player in Africa’s general admission event and festival ticketing.

Quicket is a Knife Capital portfolio company. Knife Capital invested in Quicket in 2017 via its Section 12J VCC: KNF Ventures. Read the full article

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