Circular to Amplats Shareholders - Anglo American Platinum
Circular to Amplats Shareholders - Anglo American Platinum
Circular to Amplats Shareholders - Anglo American Platinum
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2. DetailsThe Scheme Rules are proposed <strong>to</strong> be amended, <strong>to</strong> comply with the provisions of the Listings Requirementsgoverning share incentive schemes, by:(a) changing the individual and <strong>to</strong>tal limits of scheme participation, currently expressed as percentagesof <strong>Amplats</strong>’ issued share capital, <strong>to</strong> specified maximum numbers of <strong>Amplats</strong> Ordinary Shares. Forthese purposes, the actual number of <strong>Amplats</strong> Ordinary Shares were determined taking, as a startingpoint, the relevant percentages of the issued share capital of <strong>Amplats</strong>, as at the Last PracticableDate. The provisions relating <strong>to</strong> exclusions <strong>to</strong> the <strong>to</strong>tal scheme limit in respect of the Bonus SharePlan were also simplified in order <strong>to</strong> clarify a perceived ambiguity therein. As such, the proposedamendments are not intended <strong>to</strong> result in an increase <strong>to</strong> the maximum number of <strong>Amplats</strong> OrdinaryShares available for awarding in terms of the Share Schemes, collectively;(b) adding <strong>to</strong> the categories of salient features of the Scheme Rules of the Share Option Scheme 2003,Bonus Share Plan and the Long -Term Incentive Plan that would require shareholder approval <strong>to</strong> beamended; and(c) qualifying that, should shareholder approval be required <strong>to</strong> the amendment of the Scheme Rules,the ordinary resolution would need <strong>to</strong> be passed by a 75% majority of the voting rights exercisedin favour of such resolution by all shareholders present or represented by proxy at the GeneralMeeting <strong>to</strong> approve such resolution.Furthermore, in respect of the Bonus Share Plan, these Scheme Rules provide that the minimum periodthat must expire between the date of grant of bonus shares as forfeitable awards (“Award Date”) and thedate on which scheme participants become entitled <strong>to</strong> the bonus shares granted as forfeitable awards,free from restrictions (“Release Date”), is a period of three years, subject <strong>to</strong> certain exceptions.<strong>Amplats</strong> wishes <strong>to</strong> make a tranche of awards under the Bonus Share Plan which was approved by theremuneration committee earlier this year (“BSP Award”). Implementation of the BSP Award have howeverbeen delayed as the <strong>Amplats</strong> remuneration committee believed it would be prudent <strong>to</strong> obtain legal advice <strong>to</strong>identify the approvals that would be required in order <strong>to</strong> implement the Bonus Share Plan under the CompaniesAct, which came in<strong>to</strong> effect on 1 May 2011, and <strong>to</strong> ensure that any statu<strong>to</strong>rily prescribed approvals are putin place prior <strong>to</strong> the implementation of the BSP Award . Although the <strong>Amplats</strong> remuneration committeehas elected <strong>to</strong> delay the making of the BSP Award subject <strong>to</strong> the requisite shareholders’ approval firstbeing obtained, it does not wish such delay <strong>to</strong> impact upon the incentives it intends <strong>to</strong> convey through themaking of the BSP Award . The Board is therefore proposing that the Release Date in respect of the relevantbonus shares that will be the subject of the BSP Award, be accelerated, so as <strong>to</strong> reduce the usual three -year period, taking in<strong>to</strong> account the period of delay. The Board is proposing that such discretion shouldalso be capable of being exercised in future should changes in legislation or regulation impact upon theimplementation of awards approved under the Bonus Share Plan. Accordingly, <strong>Amplats</strong> <strong>Shareholders</strong> arerequested <strong>to</strong> consider the amendment of the Scheme Rules of the Bonus Share Plan in order <strong>to</strong> confer thediscretion upon the <strong>Amplats</strong> remuneration committee <strong>to</strong> accelerate the Release Date, thereby shorteningthe period of three years.The Board will be effecting certain typographical and other minor amendments, that do not require<strong>Amplats</strong> Shareholder approval and are as such within its powers of amendment, <strong>to</strong> the Scheme Rulessimultaneously with the amendments <strong>to</strong> the Scheme Rules requiring <strong>Amplats</strong> Shareholder approval.The salient features of the proposed amendments <strong>to</strong> the Scheme Rules, as requiring <strong>Amplats</strong>Shareholder approval, are contained in Annexure 3 <strong>to</strong> this <strong>Circular</strong>. The complete Scheme Rules willbe tabled at the General Meeting and are available for inspection at the registered office of the Company(Share Administration Schemes department) prior <strong>to</strong> the General Meeting.Although, in terms of the Scheme Rules, shareholder approval by ordinary resolution is required beforeamendments may be effected there<strong>to</strong>, the Direc<strong>to</strong>rs considered it prudent <strong>to</strong> seek the approval of <strong>Amplats</strong><strong>Shareholders</strong> by an ordinary resolution passed by a 75% majority, in respect of ordinary resolutions 2 <strong>to</strong> 5set out in the notice of General Meeting, in light of the fact that the Share Schemes are intended <strong>to</strong> be madesubject <strong>to</strong> JSE regulation.20