Sekunjalo Investments has acquired 30% of online trading and financial information provider Sharenet.
The value of the deal has not been disclosed. Sekunjalo bought the stake from private equity partnership Dale Group.
Sekunjalo, an empowerment investment group, now has access to 40 000 Sharenet clients, as well as the company's IT infrastructure.
"Sekunjalo will add considerable value to the Sharenet Group," Sekunjalo says. "As a black-owned and managed JSE-listed and long-term investor, Sekunjalo is able to offer corporate expertise, innovation and best practice to the companies in which it is invested.
"Importantly, Sekunjalo also provides the Sharenet Group with access to the growing middle class."
The company says a recent report by stockbroking firm Merrill Lynch indicated that black South Africans in the top income bracket - those earning R12 000 or more per month, increased from 16.5% to 19% in the past three years.
Sharenet is the latest in a series of acquisitions by Sekunjalo. The company recently bought a majority stake in biotechnology firm Bioclones.
In past months it has also acquired technology firms XN Corporation Africa and Synergy Computing. The company's other IT interests are Sekunjalo Enterprise Management Technology and Health Systems Technologies.
The Sekunjalo share closed at 61c on Friday, down 4c or 6.2% on the previous close.
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