Group Five says it has filed for business rescue — a process aimed at rehabilitating financially distressed companies — because lenders have not been willing to give it more funding.
The contractor and a number of its peers, including Basil Read and Erbacon, have succumbed to a depressed construction market in which major projects have failed to materialise owing to the state’s strained finances.
Group Five, whose shares were at R45 about five years ago, said on Tuesday that it had asked the JSE to suspend trading in its stock, which was priced at 89c at Monday's close.
The contractor, which was given bridge funding worth R650m from a consortium of lenders in April 2018, said its financial constraints had worsened after lenders called on guarantees relating to its disastrous Kpone power-plant project in Ghana.
The group, founded in 1974, is now retrenching staff and will probably have to fork out “a significant amount of severance pay”.
The consortium of lenders declined its request for more bridge funding last week, it said. Group Five is now in “financial distress” as it is unlikely to be able to pay all of its debts when they fall due within the next six months.
Struggling Group Five files for business rescue
Group Five and peers including Basil Read and Erbacon have succumbed to a depressed construction market in which major projects have failed to materialise
Image: REUTERS
Group Five says it has filed for business rescue — a process aimed at rehabilitating financially distressed companies — because lenders have not been willing to give it more funding.
The contractor and a number of its peers, including Basil Read and Erbacon, have succumbed to a depressed construction market in which major projects have failed to materialise owing to the state’s strained finances.
Group Five, whose shares were at R45 about five years ago, said on Tuesday that it had asked the JSE to suspend trading in its stock, which was priced at 89c at Monday's close.
The contractor, which was given bridge funding worth R650m from a consortium of lenders in April 2018, said its financial constraints had worsened after lenders called on guarantees relating to its disastrous Kpone power-plant project in Ghana.
The group, founded in 1974, is now retrenching staff and will probably have to fork out “a significant amount of severance pay”.
The consortium of lenders declined its request for more bridge funding last week, it said. Group Five is now in “financial distress” as it is unlikely to be able to pay all of its debts when they fall due within the next six months.
Construction to start soon on SA's first plastic road
These provinces had better economic growth than Gauteng in 2017
Group Five has resolved to appoint David Lake and Peter van den Steen of Metis Corporate Advisory as business rescue practitioners for both Group Five and subsidiary G5 Construction, it said.
The group said that there was a slim chance of any realisation of value.
“However, the board of directors of Group Five will continue to assess any expressions of interest as communicated previously to shareholders.”
Basil Read filed for business rescue in June 2018.
- BusinessLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most read
Latest Videos