41.   Manuel said significant strides were made in telecommunications, where negotiations to find a strategic equity partner for Telkom, are close to completion.

42.   On Thursday, Telecommunications Minister Pallo Jordan also announced a search for a strategic equity partner for the state-owned telephone giant, Telkom SA.

43.   South Africa picked the consortium of Telekom Malaysia and US-based SBC Communications to be the foreign equity partner in Telkom, subject to further discussions.