The South African Breweries' intent to purchase American Miller has engendered different kind of reactions in the world of beer. One of the most recent and different from those from the past could be observed yesterday in South Africa.

The National Unemployed Workers' Union together with a group of workers that have been retrenched by SAB have protested against the brewer’s plan to acquire the American giant Miller. They have vehemently criticized SAB that it has incessantly reduced the number of its workers (from 13 000 in 1990 to 6 000 at present)on the grounds of insufficient financial resources while today it is ready to pay two milliard dollars for the American brewer.

The SAB’s representatives have declared in reply to these protests that in this case there is no relationship between the SAB’s human recources management and its international activities.

03 May, 2002