STATUTORY
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Board of Directors | Sub-committees of the Board | Board Charter | Risk Management | Code of Ethics | Restriction on Trading in Securities | Stakeholder Communication | Access to Information |

The board of directors endorses the Code of Corporate Practices and Conduct in the King II Report on Corporate Governance. Ongoing enhancement of corporate governance principles is a global movement, fully supported by the board, and the board will continue to adopt, as appropriate, existing and new principles which advance good corporate governance and add value to the group's business activities.

It must be noted that Mobile is an investment holding company, has no employees and is classified as the pyramid company of Trencor Ltd in terms of the Listings Requirements of the JSE Securities Exchange South Africa.

The board is of the opinion that the group has, in all material respects and where relevant, complied with the Code during the year under review.

The salient features of the group's corporate governance are set out below.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

COMPOSITION
The names of the directors appear on page 64. The board currently comprises five non-executive directors, three of whom qualify as independent non-executive directors in terms of the King II Report.

The directors have considerable experience and an excellent understanding of the group's business and all serve on the board of Trencor Ltd.

The board as a whole is satisfied that no one individual or block of individuals has undue power on decision-making.

Brief résumés of the directors are published on page 84.

PROFESSIONAL ADVICE
All directors have access to the company secretary and are entitled to obtain independent professional advice, at the company's expense, if required and considered to be in the interest of the group and approved by the board.

MEETINGS
The board meets regularly on a scheduled bi-annual basis and at such other times as circumstances may require. During the year ended 31 December 2003, two scheduled meetings and one unscheduled meeting were held which were attended by all directors.

Board papers are timeously issued to all directors prior to each meeting and contain relevant detail to inform members of the financial position of the group.

DIRECTORS' SERVICE CONTRACTS
None of the directors are bound by any service contracts. In terms of the articles of association, not less than one-third of the directors are required to retire by rotation at each annual general meeting of the company and may offer themselves for re-election. The appointment of new directors during the year is required to be confirmed at the next annual general meeting and such new directors are required to retire at such annual general meeting, subject to offering themselves for re-election.

DIRECTORS' REMUNERATION
No remuneration was paid to the directors during the year ended 31 December 2003 (2002: nil).

DIRECTORS' INTERESTS

The number of securities held by the directors in the issued securities of the company at 31 December 2003 and 2002 was as follows:

 

	BENEFICIAL		NON-BENEFICIAL		Total
	DIRECT	INDIRECT	DIRECT	INDIRECT
ORDINARY SHARES
H A Gorvy	105 000	247	-	-	105 247
C Jowell	482 806	46 461 862	-	88 148	47 032 816
N I Jowell	24 553	50 370 649	-	-	50 395 202
D M Nurek	-	-	-	-	-
	612 359	96 832 758	-	88 148	97 533 265
'N' ORDINARY SHARES
H A Gorvy	-	10 939	-	-	10 939
C Jowell	967 987	79 448 068	-	176 380	80 592 435
N I Jowell	49 128	79 436 695	-	-	79 485 823
D M Nurek	-	-	-	-	-
	1 017 115	158 895 702	-	176 380	160 089 197
6% CONVERTIBLE DEBENTURES
H A Gorvy	-	-	-	-	-
C Jowell	3 532	43 637	-	640	47 809
N I Jowell	178	42 562	-	-	42 740
D M Nurek	-	-	-	-	-
	3 710	86 199	-	640	90 549

Mr E Oblowitz, who was appointed as a director after the year-end, has no holding in the issued securities of the company.

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SUB-COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD

There are no sub-committees of the board. All matters are considered by the full board and the functions of the audit committee are conducted by the audit committee of Trencor Ltd.

BOARD CHARTER

The board is ultimately accountable and responsible for the performance and affairs of the company. In essence, it provides strategic direction to the group, monitors and evaluates operational performance and executive management of its subsidiary and associate company, determines policies and processes to ensure effective risk management and internal controls, determines policies regarding communication and is responsible for ensuring an effective composition of the board.

RISK MANAGEMENT

Responsibility for managing the company's risk lies with the board of directors. However, shareholders are referred to the report on corporate governance published in the Trencor annual report relating to its significant risk exposures which could have an effect on Mobile.

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CODE OF ETHICS

The board agreed a formal code of ethical conduct in 1998 which seeks to ensure high ethical standards. All directors are expected to strive at all times to adhere to this code, and to enhance the reputation of the group. The code has been signed by all directors and is reconfirmed at least every two years.

Any transgression of the code is required to be brought to the attention of the audit committee of Trencor Ltd.

RESTRICTION ON TRADING IN SECURITIES

A formal policy, implemented some years ago, prohibits directors and officers from dealing in the company's securities, and those of Trencor Ltd, from the date of the end of an interim reporting period until after the interim results have been published and similarly from the end of the financial year until after the reviewed annual results have been published. Directors are reminded of this policy prior to the commencement of any restricted period.

In addition, no dealing in the company's securities is permitted by any director or officer whilst in possession of information which could affect the price of the company's securities and which is not in the public domain.

Directors of the company and of its subsidiaries are required to obtain clearance from Mobile's chairman prior to dealing in the company's securities, and to timeously disclose to the company full details of any transaction for notification to and publication by the JSE Securities Exchange South Africa.

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STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATION

Members of the board meet on an ad-hoc basis with institutional investors, investor analysts, individuals and members of the financial media. Discussions at such meetings are restricted to matters that are in the public domain.

Shareholders are informed, by means of press announcements and releases in South Africa and/or printed matter sent to such shareholders, of all relevant corporate matters and financial reporting as required in terms of prevailing legislation. In addition, such announcements are communicated via a broad range of channels in both the electronic and print media. The company maintains a corporate website (http://www.mobile-industries.net) containing financial and other information, including interactive interim, reviewed and annual results. The site has links to the website of Trencor Ltd and to each of its major operating subsidiary companies.

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

The company and its subsidiaries are compliant with the provisions of the Promotion of Access to Information Act. The manual in terms of this legislation is available from the registered office of the company and on the company's website. 

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