Shoprite chairman seeks Steinhoff stake -report

JOHANNESBURG Oct 4 (Reuters) - Shoprite Holdings Ltd (SHPJ.J) chairman Christo Wiese is looking to swap some or all of his stake in Africa's biggest grocer for stock in furniture maker Steinhoff (SHFJ.J), a South African newspaper reported on Sunday.

Shoprite was not immediately available for comment on the report in the Sunday Times, which cited unidentified sources.

The newspaper said previous plans for a possible asset swap, under which Steinhoff would have owned just under half of Shoprite and the grocer about a third of the furniture firm, were abandoned due to potential regulatory challenges.

Steinhoff, which declined to comment on the report, said last month it has the capacity to pursue acquisitions thanks to a robust balance sheet.

The furniture maker and retailer operates in southern Africa, Europe and the Pacific Rim, while Shoprite, which runs the Checkers and Shoprite supermarkets, has 102 stores outside of South Africa, mainly elsewhere on the continent.

(Reporting by Alison Raymond; editing by John Stonestreet)