SOUTH AFRICA: Apartheid victims denied repartions

On December 3, a group of apartheid victims vowed to step up their fight for reparations after a New York district court rejected their claim against multinational companies including Barclays national bank, Ford Motor Company, Mobil, Daimler-Chrysler, Caltex Petroleum, Deutsche Bank and British Petroleum. The 90 plaintiffs accused the companies of "aiding and abetting" the Apartheid government, under which they and their families suffered from indiscriminate shootings, murders, rape, torture and kidnapping. Judge John Sprizzo dismissed the case on the grounds that forcing the companies to pay reparations would have a negative impact on investment in South Africa. Penuell Maduna, when he was South African justice minister, submitted an affidavit asking for the case to be rejected on those grounds.

From Green Left Weekly, December 15, 2004.

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From GLW issue 610