South African tycoon Jens Montanana to pocket $6.8 million in Datatec interim dividend

Datatec founder and CEO Jens Montanana is set for a $6.8 million payday after the Johannesburg-listed technology group declared an interim dividend of R843.94 million ($50.74 million) for the first half of its 2027 financial year.

Jens Montanana, who founded Datatec in 1986, owns 44.94 million Datatec shares, representing a 19.01% stake in the company, according to the group’s latest disclosed shareholder information.

At the declared interim dividend of R2.5 ($0.15) per share, his stake would qualify for R112.34 million ($6.75 million), based on the exchange rate implied by Datatec’s announcement. After South Africa’s 20% dividend withholding tax, the amount would be about R89.88 million ($5.4 million), assuming he is subject to the full rate and elects the cash option.

Datatec declares $50.74 million interim dividend

Datatec, an international information and communications technology group, has declared an interim dividend of 250 South African cents per ordinary share, equivalent to R2.5 ($0.15) a share. The company will distribute R843.94 million ($50.74 million) to shareholders, which will be in proportion to a Shareholder’s ordinary shareholding in Datatec at the close of business on the Record Date, being Friday, December 4, 2026.

The Cash Dividend has been declared and paid out of Datatec’s distributable retained profits. Shareholders will, however, be entitled to elect to receive a Scrip Distribution of new, fully paid Shares in respect of their shareholding in Datatec as at the Record Date, in respect of all or part of their ordinary shareholding, instead of the Cash Dividend.

The dividend will be paid to shareholders registered at the close of business on Monday, December. 7, 2026, subject to exchange-control approval. Shareholders will also have the option to receive new Datatec shares instead of the cash dividend, either for all or part of their holdings.

Montanana’s Datatec stake worth nearly $7 million in dividend

Jens Montanana is Datatec’s founder and chief executive officer and has led the company since establishing it in 1986. The group was listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in 1994.

Datatec’s latest disclosed shareholder information shows Jens Montanana as the company’s second-largest significant shareholder, with 44,937,489 shares, equivalent to 19.01% of issued shares. The Government Employees Pension Fund, through the Public Investment Corporation, holds 48,520,678 shares, or 20.53%.

At R2.5 ($0.15) per share, Jens Montanana’s holding translates into an interim dividend of R112.34 million ($6.75 million). The gross payout is subject to a 20% dividend withholding tax for shareholders not exempt from the tax.