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Business tycoon Anton Rupert passes away
One of South Africa's richest businessmen, Anton Rupert, has died in Cape Town at the age of 89.
One of South Africa's richest businessmen, Anton Rupert, has died in Cape Town at the age of 89.
The ageing businessman died peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday night, the national radio, SAFM, reported.
His death came only three months after his 83-year-old wife, Huberte, died following a long struggle against cancer.
Born in the small town of Graff-Rienet in the Cape Province, Rupert made his way to the top of South African business as a pioneer and international industrialist.
The Rupert business empire includes the tobacco industry, with famous cigarette names such as Cartier, Mont Blanc, Rothmans and Dunhill.
The Rupert empire also has stakes in Distell, British American Tobacco and companies such as FirstRand, Absa, TransHex, Unilever, Nampak, TotalSA, Rainbow Chicken and Medi-Clinic.
It also expanded into the private television stattion, ETv, and the cell phone company Vodacom. The assets are currently estimated at $1.7 billion.
Rupert is survived by a son, daughter and five grandchildren.
