upon any amendment, modification, change or waiver, or any notice from holders, only collective action securities of that series that the fiscal agent knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. As used in this paragraph, ‘‘public sector instrumentality’’ means the South African Reserve Bank, any department, ministry or agency of the South African government or any corporation, trust, financial institution or other entity owned or controlled by the South African government or any of the foregoing, and ‘‘control’’ means the power, directly or indirectly, through the ownership of voting securities or other ownership interests or otherwise, to direct the management of or to elect or appoint a majority of the board of directors or other persons performing similar functions in lieu of, or in addition to, the board of directors of a corporation, trust, financial institution or other entity.
The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the warrants and the warrant agreement (copies of which are or will be filed as exhibits to the registration statement). This summary does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to these exhibits and all provisions of the warrant agreement and the warrants.
The South African government may issue, together with any debt securities offered by any prospectus supplement or separately, warrants for the purchase of other debt securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a warrant agreement to be entered into between the South African government and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, all as set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to a particular issue of warrants.
Each prospectus supplement that provides for the issuance of warrants will describe the following terms:
The warrants will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York except with respect to their authorization and execution and any other matters required to be governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. The South African government will accept the jurisdiction of any State or Federal court in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, in respect of any action arising out of or based on the warrants that may be maintained by any holder of those warrants. The South African government will appoint the warrant agent as its authorized agent upon which process in any such action may be served. The South African government will irrevocably
Table of Contentswaive any immunity to which it might otherwise be entitled in any action arising out of or based upon the warrants brought in any State or Federal court in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York. The South African government is also subject to suit in competent courts in the Republic of South Africa to the extent permitted by South African law.
Neither the appointment of an authorized agent for service of process nor the waiver of immunity includes actions brought under the United States federal securities laws. In the absence of a waiver of immunity by the South African government with respect to such actions it would not be possible to obtain a United States judgment in such an action against the South African government unless a court were to determine that the South African government is not entitled under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976 to sovereign immunity with respect to such action.
United States Taxation
Information with respect to the United States tax consequences of the issuance, purchase, exercise and expiration of warrants, including possible original issue discount on debt securities issued with warrants, will be set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to any particular issue of warrants.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
South Africa may sell debt securities or warrants to purchase debt securities to or through underwriters, and also may sell debt securities or warrants to purchase debt securities directly to other purchasers or through agents. Only agents or underwriters named in the prospectus supplement are deemed to be agents or underwriters, as the case may be, in connection with the debt securities or warrants to purchase debt securities offered thereby.
The distribution of the debt securities or warrants to purchase debt securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.
In connection with the sale of debt securities or warrants to purchase debt securities, underwriters may receive compensation from the South African government or from purchasers of debt securities or warrants to purchase debt securities for whom they may act as agents in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions. Underwriters may sell debt securities or warrants to purchase debt securities to or through dealers, and such dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters and/or commissions for the purchasers for whom they may act as agents. Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of debt securities or warrants to purchase debt securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discount or commission received by them from the South African government and any profit on the resale of debt securities or warrants to purchase debt securities by them may be deemed to be un derwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act of 1933 (the ‘‘Act’’). Any such underwriter or agent will be identified, and any such compensation received from the South African government will be described, in the prospectus supplement.
The debt securities or warrants to purchase debt securities will be a new issue of debt securities or warrants to purchase debt securities with no established trading market. Underwriters and agents to whom debt securities or warrants to purchase debt securities are sold by the South African government for public offering and sale may make a market in such debt securities or warrants to purchase debt securities, but such underwriters and agents will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market-making at any time without notice. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of the trading market for the debt securities or warrants to purchase debt securities.
Under agreements which may be entered into by the South African government, underwriters, dealers and agents who participate in the distribution of debt securities or warrants to purchase debt securities may be entitled to indemnification by the South African government against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Act.
South Africa may offer the securities of any series to holders of other South African securities as consideration for the purchase or exchange by South Africa of these other outstanding securities. This
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Table of Contentsoffer may be in connection with a publicly announced tender, exchange or other offer for these securities or in privately negotiated transactions. This type of offering may be in addition to or in lieu of sales of securities directly or through underwriters or agents as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.
If so indicated in the prospectus supplement, the South African government will authorize underwriters or other persons acting as the South African government’s agents to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase debt securities or warrants to purchase debt securities from the South African government pursuant to contracts providing for payment and delivery on a future date. Institutions with which such contracts may be made include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions and others, but in all cases such institutions must be approved by the South African government. The obligations of any purchaser under any such contract will be subject to the condition that the purchase of the debt securities or warrants to purchase debt securities shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of the jurisdiction to which such purchase is subject. The underw riters and such other agents will not have any responsibility in respect of the validity or performance of such contracts.
OFFICIAL STATEMENTS
Information included in this prospectus, or in any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus, that is identified as being derived from a publication of, or supplied by, the South African government or one of its agencies or instrumentalities is included herein on the authority of such publication as a public official document of the South African government. All other information in this prospectus, or in any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and in the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, other than that included under the caption ‘‘Plan of Distribution’’ in this prospectus, or in any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus, is included as a public official statement made on the authority of the Minister of Finance of the Republic of South Africa.
VALIDITY OF THE SECURITIES
The validity of each series of debt securities or warrants to purchase debt securities will be passed upon on behalf of the South African government by Ms. Michelle Olwage, the Acting Chief State Law Adviser of the Republic of South Africa, and on behalf of the Underwriters by Linklaters LLP, New York, New York, and Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs, Johannesburg. As to all matters of South African law, Linklaters LLP may rely upon the opinions of Ms. Michelle Olwage and Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs. All statements with respect to matters of South African law in this prospectus have been passed upon by Ms. Michelle Olwage, and are made upon her authority. Linklaters LLP may act from time to time on behalf of the South African government.
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE
The Authorized Representative of the Republic of South Africa in the United States of America is Ambassador Welile Nhalpo, whose address is:
Embassy of the Republic of South Africa
3051 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008
FURTHER INFORMATION
The issue and terms of debt securities or warrants to purchase debt securities will be authorized by the Minister of Finance of the Republic of South Africa pursuant to the authority conferred upon him by the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act No. 1 of 1999) of the Republic of South Africa.
A registration statement with respect to South Africa and the debt securities or warrants to purchase debt securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street,
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Table of ContentsN.W. Washington, D.C., 20549, under the Act. Additional information concerning South Africa and the debt securities or warrants to purchase debt securities is to be found in the registration statement, any pre- or post-effective amendment to the registration statement and any document incorporated by reference into the registration statement, including the various exhibits to these documents, which may be inspected at the office of the Commission.
The Republic of South Africa, although not subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, files Annual Reports on Form 18-K with the Commission on a voluntary basis. These Annual Reports include certain material statistical and other information concerning the Republic of South Africa. The Republic of South Africa may also include exhibits to its Annual Report on Form 18-K and file amendments on Form 18-K/A, for the purpose of filing with Commission information that has not been included in the registration statement to which this prospectus and any related prospectus supplement relate, which information would thereby be incorporated by reference into the registration statement. Annual Reports on Form 18-K and amendments on Form 18-K/A of the Republic of South Africa may be inspected at the office of the Commission, or reviewed on the Commission’s Internet site at (http://www.sec.gov). This site contains reports and other inf ormation regarding issuers that file electronically with the Commission.
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Table of ContentsNo dealer, salesperson or other person is authorized to give any information or to represent anything not contained in this prospectus. You must not rely on any unauthorized information or representations. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the debt securities or warrants to purchase offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this prospectus is current only as of its date.
Republic of South Africa
PROSPECTUS
Dated , 2007
Table of ContentsPART II
(That required by Items (11), (13) and (14) of Schedule B
of the Securities Act of 1933.)
The following are the estimated expenses of the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered:
| | | | | | |
Registration fee | | | | $ | 84,811 | * |
Blue Sky fees and expenses | | | ** |
Printing expenses | | | ** |
Fiscal Agent fees and expenses | | | ** |
Miscellaneous expenses, including legal fees and reimbursements of expenses of the underwriters | | | ** |
Total | | | ** |
* | Represents the $92,100 registration fee less $7,289, which has previously been paid. |
** | To be filed concurrently with the appropriate prospectus supplement, either in an amendment to the Republic’s Annual Report on Form 18-K or in a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement. |
Agreement to Provide Legal Opinions
The Registrant hereby agrees to furnish copies of such legal opinions (including the opinion and consent of the Acting Chief State Law Adviser of the Republic of South Africa), as required with any issue of debt securities and/or warrants to purchase debt securities under this Registration Statement, in a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement or in an amendment to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 18-K or in any report filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.
Undertakings
The Registrant hereby undertakes:
| | |
| (1) | To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement: |
| | |
| (i) | to include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 (‘‘Securities Act’’); |
| | |
| (ii) | to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this Registration Statement; and |
| | |
| (iii) | to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this Registration Statement or any material change to such information in this Registration Statement; |
provided, however, that the Registrant shall not be required to file a post-effective amendment otherwise required by clauses (i) or (ii) above, if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment is contained in any report filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (‘‘Exchange Act’’) that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.
| | |
| (2) | That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
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Table of Contents | | |
| (3) | To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. |
| | |
| (4) | That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of a registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in the form of prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this Registration Statement as of the time it was declared effective. |
| | |
| (5) | That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 18-K or of amendments thereto under the Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
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Table of ContentsCONTENTS
This Registration Statement consists of:
| |
(1) | Facing sheet. |
| |
(2) | Cross Reference sheet. |
| |
(3) | Part I, consisting of the Prospectus. |
| |
(4) | Part II, consisting of pages numbered II-1 through II-6. |
| |
(5) | The following exhibits: |
| | |
| (1) | Form of Underwriting Agreement. |
| | |
| (5) | Opinion of Ms. Michelle Olwage, the Acting Chief State Law Adviser of the Republic of South Africa. |
| | |
| (8) | Tax Opinion of Linklaters LLP. |
| | |
| (23.1) | Consent of Mr. Trevor A. Manuel, Minister of Finance of the Republic of South Africa. |
| | |
| (23.2) | Consent of Ms. Michelle Olwage, the Acting Chief State Law Adviser of the Republic of South Africa.* |
| | |
| (23.3) | Consent of Linklaters LLP. |
| | |
| (24) | Power of Attorney for Mr. Trevor A. Manuel, Minister of Finance of the Republic of South Africa. |
| | |
| (99) | Amended and Restated Fiscal Agency Agreement, including the form of Note.** |
* | Included in Exhibit (5). |
** | Filed as an exhibit to Registration Statement No. 333-11546 and incorporated by reference herein and made a part of the Registration Statement. |
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Table of ContentsSIGNATURES
Of the Issuer:
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized in the City of Pretoria on September 26, 2007.
| | |
| By: | /s/ Trevor A. Manuel Trevor A. Manuel Minister of Finance of the Republic of South Africa |
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Table of ContentsSIGNATURES
Of the Duly Authorized Representative in the United States:
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in the United States of the Republic of South Africa, has signed this Registration Statement in Washington, D.C. on September 26, 2007.
| | |
| By: | /s/ Welile Nhalpo Welile Nhalpo Ambassador Embassy of the Republic of South Africa Authorized Representative in the United States |
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Table of ContentsEXHIBIT INDEX
| | | |
Exhibits | | | Description |
(1) | | | Form of Underwriting Agreement |
(5) | | | Opinion of Ms. Michelle Olwage, the Acting Chief State Law Adviser of the Republic of South Africa |
(8) | | | Tax Opinion of Linklaters LLP |
(23.1) | | | Consent of Mr. Trevor A. Manuel, Minister of Finance of the Republic of South Africa |
(23.2) | | | Consent of Ms. Michelle Olwage, the Acting Chief State Law Adviser of the Republic of South Africa* |
(23.3) | | | Consent of Linklaters LLP |
(24) | | | Power of Attorney for Mr. Trevor A. Manuel, Minister of Finance of the Republic of South Africa |
(99) | | | Amended and Restated Fiscal Agency Agreement, including the form of Note** |
* | Included in Exhibit (5). |
** | Filed as an exhibit to Registration Statement No. 333-11546 and incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this Registration Statement. |
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