YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS
Crossword
No. 16 455
Across: 1 Package tour. 9 Yobbish. 10 Paellas. 11 Ice. 12 Stipend. 13 Relapse. 14 Mar. 15 Avian. 17 Psalm. 18 Islam. 20 Pious. 22 Imp. 24 Get into. 25 Camogie. 26 Moo. 27 Snowcap. 28 Margate. 29 Subjunctive.
Down: 1 Public relations. 2 Chimera. 3 Aphid. 4 Esperanto. 5 Overlap. 6 Role-playing game. 7 Gypsum. 8 Esteem. 16 Impromptu. 18 Ingest. 19 Minicab. 21 Samurai. 23 Peeved. 25 Comic.
Quick – No. 17 163
Across: 1 Banal; 4 Correct; 8 Removal; 9 Cream; 10 Fade; 11 Convince; 13 Loot; 14 Oral; 16 Downcast; 17 Ague; 20 Evade; 21 Exploit; 22 Sadness; 23 Natal.
Down: 1 Barefacedness; 2 Nomad; 3 Live; 4 Callow; 5 Recovery; 6 Eternal; 7 Temperamental; 12 Concrete; 13 Lowland; 15 Assess; 18 Ghost; 19 Open.
Give or take
– 1 064 1. Shrink. 2. Shirk. 3. Risk. 4. Sir. 5. Sari. 6. Raise. 7. Praise.
Sudoku –
5 557
Sun International, Africa’s leading gaming and hospitality group, with properties in South Africa, Nigeria and Eswatini, will participate in the Discovery loyalty programme, gaining access to a global customer base of 17 million when they join the alliance later this year
Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands and the operator of award-winning, multi-brand loyalty programme, Discovery, said Sun International would become the latest addition to its growing network of over 35 independent brands and 570 hotels in 85 countries.
Headquartered in Johannesburg and listed on the JSE, Sun International is one of the largest gaming and hospitality groups in South Africa, with its portfolio including flagship Sun City Resort including the Palace of the Lost City hotel and leading luxury and lifestyle hotels such as the Table Bay in Cape Town and the Maslow in Sandton.
GHA chief executive Chris Hartley said Sun International would join the alliance at a pivotal moment in the middle of this year, spurred on by what everyone hopes will be a recovery in international travel later this year.
“Finding a strong partner to enter South Africa has long been a priority for GHA and this positive news reflects our optimism that the travel industry will soon be on the road to recovery.
“We are proud to welcome Sun
International as GHA’s member brand in South Africa and we are confident that they will benefit greatly from joining the alliance.
“They will immediately have access to a global audience of over 17 million Discovery members and we know from our research that South Africa is a popular destination for our customer base.”
Sun International CEO Anthony Leeming added: “[This] marks an exciting step for Sun International and our guests, and represents an important evolution in our guest recognition and rewards strategy.
“In parallel with Sun International’s Most Valued Guest loyalty scheme, GHA’s Discovery loyalty programme will enable us to better recognise and reward guests and welcome new customers.”
The integration and launch of Sun International’s properties into GHA is expected to be completed by mid-2021.
The Table Bay Hotel is expected to go live in April.
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Standard Bank is interested in buying shares it doesn’t already own in its Angolan unit after an investor in the business was detained and his shares seized by authorities.
“Over the last two years we have increased our stake in our subsidiaries in Kenya and in Nigeria,” Sola David-Borha, the chief executive of Standard Bank’s African division, said in a video call. “If the opportunity arises in Angola as well, we will do so.”
A rule barring foreign companies from full ownership of businesses in Angola was in place when Africa’s largest lender opened its unit in the southern nation in 2010, but has since been scrapped for some industries.
Authorities seized the assets of Carlos Sao Vicente, Standard Bank’s 49% partner in the Luanda-based division, in September amid on accusations of fraud.
The action is linked to moves by president Joao Lourenco to crack down on alleged graft under his predecessor’s rule.
Sao Vicente, who has been suspended as a director on the board of Standard Bank’s Angolan unit, remains in custody after prosecutors two weeks ago extended his detention period for an additional two months pending further investigations.
His stake was taken over by Angola’s state-asset management institute, known as Igape.
Angola is among the top six contributors to Standard Bank’s earnings from operations on the continent outside of South Africa. A presence in 20 sub-Saharan African countries has shielded the lender from some of the pain faced in its home market, where a moribund economy and restrictions to contain the pandemic bankrupted businesses and pushed up unemployment.
The bank will continue to look for more business in sub-Saharan Africa, where the International Monetary Fund is forecasting economic growth of 3.2% this year, David-Borha said.
This includes a bigger push into Ethiopia, where the government is opening up some sectors to private investors, and taking advantage of opportunities in Mozambique’s gas sector.
The lender has helped African sovereigns and corporates raise $2 billion (about R29.3 billion) in capital over the past two years and is confident it can bring even more governments and companies to market, she said.
While the lockdown has delayed plans to further open intra-African trade, a continent-wide agreement will boost momentum, David-Borha said.
The African Continental Free Trade Area agreement, which now has 54 members, will also benefit as trade finance moves to digital platforms, she said.
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