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éthniques |
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The
following section is consisted of part, full or summaries of
articles from diverses sources (newspapers, newsletters, etc...).
La section suivante est constituée d'exraits, de la totalité
ou de résumés d'articles provenant d'origines
diverses (journaux,bulletins, etc..).
11
/ 24 / 2002
BUSINESS
DAY (South Africa)
The article: "State distances
itself from apartheid lawsuit"
IN ITS first official statement on the apartheid lawsuits recently
lodged in New York, government says it will not support the claims
against multinationals cited for having propped up apartheid.
Two
separate legal actions have been lodged in New York against more
than 20 corporate giants for their role in propping up apartheid
until 1994. Critics say the lawsuits could hinder SA's bid to
woo foreign investment.
Justice
Minister Penuell Maduna said yesterday that the cabinet had taken
a decision of "indifference", neither supporting nor
rejecting the lawsuits. "We are not supporting the claims
for individual reparations. We are talking to those very same
companies named in the lawsuits about investing in post-apartheid
SA."
Even
if those claims in the US courts were successful, it would still
leave SA with a legacy of underdevelopment to tackle.
"The
focus is on getting those companies to keep investing in SA to
benefit the entire population as a whole," Maduna said.
Finance
Minister Trevor Manuel said on Friday in response to pressure
from a US trade delegation to denounce the lawsuits, that "SA
doesn't need this suit".
Commerce
Secretary Donald Evans, the delegation leader, said the lawsuits
were not helpful to US firms looking to invest in SA.
Jubilee
SA chairman Mallet Pumelele Giyose scorned suggestions that foreign
investment would be hampered. "Foreign investment has not
really poured into the country, even though there have been no
lawsuits of this kind." Companies investing in SA "democratically
and accountably" had no reason to fear legal action of this
sort, he said. With I-Net Bridge
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