We have been advised that the Rationalization of Corporate Laws Act, 1996 has repealed the Companies and Close Corporations Act in the former independent homelands of Bophuthatswana (North West Province), Transkei (Eastern Cape Province) and Venda (Northern Province), thereby transferring all defensive company name registrations to the Registrar of Companies in South Africa. As a result, where identical defensive company name registrations exist in the former independent homelands, the registrations will be cancelled and only one registration will be maintained in South Africa. If identical defensive company name registrations exist both in South Africa and in the former homelands, all registrations in the former independent homelands will automatically be cancelled and the South African registration will be maintained.