2020        2019    
6.  Earnings per share 
Weighted average number of shares ('000) 
Weighted average number of shares in issue for basic earnings per share and headline earnings per share calculations  339 264     337 245    
Potential dilutive impact of outstanding staff share appreciation rights and conditional awards  464     919    
   Number of outstanding staff share appreciation right equivalent shares  2 326     4 048    
   Number of shares deemed to be issued at fair value  (1 892)    (3 255)   
   Contingent issuable shares in terms of conditional share plan to be issued at fair value  30     126    
Weighted average number of shares in issue used for the calculation of diluted earnings and diluted headline earnings per share  339 728    338 164    
Attributable earnings 
Basic earnings per share and diluted earnings per share are based on profit attributable to shareholders of the Company (R'000) – continuing operations  168 981    3 823 768    
Basic earnings per share and diluted earnings per share are based on (loss) profit attributable to shareholders of the Company (R'000) – Group  (463 286)   3 775 282    
Basic earnings per share – continuing operations  49.8     1 133.8    
Basic earnings per share – Group  (136.6)    1 119.4    
Diluted basic earnings per share – continuing operations  49.7     1 130.7    
Diluted basic earnings per share – Group  (136.4)    1 116.4    
Dilution (%) – continuing operations  0.1     0.3    
Dilution (%) – Group  0.1     0.3    
Headline earnings  R'000     R'000    
Profit attributable to shareholders of the Company – continuing operations  168 981     3 823 768    
Impairment of property plant and equipment, right-of-use assets goodwill and intangible assets  990 164     10 299    
   Property, plant and equipment  222 463     9 580    
   Right-of-use assets  145 144     –    
   Goodwill  496 850     –    
   Intangible assets  322 124     1 648    
   Taxation effect  (141 865)    (196)   
   Non-controlling interest  (54 552)    (733)   
Net loss on disposal of interests in subsidiaries and disposal and closure of businesses  247 181     175 030    
   Loss on disposal and closure  278 944     202 250    
   Taxation effect  (18 482)    (23 947)   
   Non-controlling interest  (13 281)    (3 273)   
Net loss on disposal and impairment of associates  485 711     622 900    
   Net change in shareholding in associates  693     (1 041)   
   Impairment of associates  523 279     623 941    
   Taxation effect  (38 261)      
Net gain on disposal of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets  (8 963)    (19 016)   
   Property, plant and equipment  29 981     (28 192)   
   Intangible assets  (30 681)    (4 249)   
   Taxation effect  (8 263)    11 554    
   Non-controlling interest  –     1 871    
Compensation received on loss or impairment of property plant and equipment  (11 267)    (13 630)   
   Compensation received  (15 648)    (16 835)   
   Taxation effect  4 381     3 205    
Non-headline earnings items included in equity accounted earnings of associated companies  5 121     8 906    
Headline earnings – continuing operations  1 876 928     4 608 257    
Loss attributable to shareholders of the Company – discontinued operations  (632 267)    (48 486)   
Impairment of property plant and equipment, right-of-use assets goodwill and intangible assets  92 094     –    
   Property, plant and equipment  48 927     –    
   Right-of-use assets  52 790     –    
   Intangible assets  26 583     –    
   Taxation effect  (36 206)    –    
Headline earnings – Group  1 336 755     4 559 771    
Headline earnings per share (cents) – continuing operations  553.2     1 366.4    
Headline earnings per share (cents) – Group  394.0     1 352.1    
Diluted headline earnings per share (cents) – continuing operations  552.5     1 362.7    
Diluted headline earnings per share (cents) – Group  393.5     1 348.4    
Dilution (%) – continuing operations  0.1     0.3    
Dilution (%) – Group  0.1     0.3    

Normalised headline earnings per share

Normalised headline earnings per share is a measurement used by the chief operating decision maker, Lindsay Ralphs. The calculation of normalised headline earnings per share excludes acquisition costs and amortisation of acquired customer contracts and is based on the normalised headline earnings attributable to ordinary shareholders, divided by the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the year. The Group's non-cash share of Comair's SAA travel agent incentive scheme settlement and COVID-19 pandemic expenses (refer note 43 Accounting estimates and judgements for further details) relating to abnormal receivables provisioning, inventory obsolescence, restructuring costs and COVID-19 compliance regulatory costs have been excluded for the first time as a change in policy in the calculation of normalised headline earnings in the current period. The presentation of normalised headline earnings is not an IFRS requirement.

 
2020 
R'000 
      2019 
R'000 
  
Headline earnings – continuing operations  1 876 928     4 608 257    
   Acquisition costs  178 179     22 940    
   Amortisation of acquired customer contracts  70 120     42 918    
   Fair value uplift of Adcock Ingram inventory  96 930       
   Non-cash share of Comair's SAA travel agent incentive scheme settlement  122 191     (167 950)   
   COVID-19 pandemic expenses (refer note 43) 1 200 644     –    
   COVID-19 pandemic impact on MIAL investment (refer note 43) 351 442     –    
   Taxation effect  (333 513)    (5 883)   
   Non-controlling interest  (74 193)    –    
Normalised headline earnings – continuing operations  3 488 728     4 500 282    
Normalised headline earnings – discontinued operations  (540 173)    (48 486)   
Normalised headline earnings – Group  2 948 555     4 451 796    
Normalised headline earnings per share (cents) – continuing operations  1 028.3     1 334.4    
Normalised headline earnings per share (cents) – Group  869.1     1 320.0