This document argues that university administers and corporate directors across the country are trying to deceive and de-rail the anti-apartheid movement by announcing plans to divest their holdings from companies that did business "IN" South Africa, while saying that this "divestment" does not refer to companies that do business "WITH" South Africa. The Sunday Times (London October 26, 1986) points out that corporate restructuring is enabling U.S. companies to circumvent U.S. regulations which prohibit direct sales to the South African government and military. IBM (via I.B.M. South Africa) is now free to supply the computer parts necessary to maintain the equipment that runs the South African...
This document argues that university administers and corporate directors across the country are trying to deceive and de-rail the anti-apartheid movement by announcing plans to divest their holdings from companies that did business "IN" South Africa, while saying that this "divestment" does not refer to companies that do business "WITH" South Africa. The Sunday Times (London October 26, 1986) points out that corporate restructuring is enabling U.S. companies to circumvent U.S. regulations which prohibit direct sales to the South African government and military. IBM (via I.B.M. South Africa) is now free to supply the computer parts necessary to maintain the equipment that runs the South African military machine and surveillance systems, and G.M. (via Delta Corporation) can supply trucks to ferry troops into the black townships. The report says in 1986, the University of California (U.C.) claimed to have $3.1 billion invested in companies doing business IN South Africa (32% of U.C.'s portfolio of $9.6 billion); in fact, they had at least $4.3 billion in companies doing business WITH racist South Africa (44% of U.C.'s portfolio). In July 1987, they claimed to have only $2 billion in 13 companies doing business IN South Africa (16% of U.C.'s portfolio), and they claimed that this reduction was a result of "divestment" in the 1986-87 financial year. In fact, they had AT LEAST $5.6 billion (44% of U.C.'s portfolio) invested in companies doing business WITH South Africa. The document says this "divestment" charade is not solely coming from executives of major corporations who are regents of various universities. The document also criticizes Democrats like U.C. regents Willie Brown and Jack Henning (Secretary-treasurer of the California Federation of Labor (AFL-CIO)) who "cynically took part in the divestment charade while making politically-enhancing pious speeches about their opposition to apartheid." The document says that, in South Africa, workers, students and other sections of society understand that waiting for companies or politicians to bring about change is not how change comes about. Activist in the U.S. need to follow their lead. The report also mentions Coca-Cola and P.W. Botha.
