I’m sure there was more than just morbid fascination with the relisting of African Phoenix — the old African Bank Investments (Abil) — on the JSE this week. As a holder of several Abil preference shares — some bought hours before the share was suspended when the bank was placed into curatorship a few years ago — I watched developments with a good deal of interest. It’s always heartening to see efforts to salvage some value for shareholders, and I wish there were more successful bids to rescue companies that have got themselves in a pickle. I suspect most investors give up hope when a listed company opts for business rescue or curatorship. Once suspended by the JSE, companies can be guilty of not enlightening shareholders to key developments — or even providing much-needed disclosure (especially when directors quickly desert the sinking ship). These trying matters are, understandably, prolonged affairs, and unfortunately the odds are usually stacked against shareholders (as the backe...

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