Anglo American is a South African company, Minerals Minister reminds new CEO – by Martin Creamer (MiningWeekly.com – March 22, 2013)

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“Mark, this Anglo American plc, it’s ours. It’s a South African company,” Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu reminded incoming Anglo American CEO Mark Cutifani at a Chamber of Mines function in his honour.

“We hope you’ll make sure that it remains South African,” the Minister added. Her comments follow those of African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Gwede Mantashe, who last month emphasised the South African roots of Anglo American and lamented reference to it as a British company.

Mantashe contended that allowing companies to migrate to global stock exchanges had impacted negatively on South Africa’s own exchange and denied the country part of its economic heritage.

Shabangu also raised the point of regret by some of Anglo American being allowed to domicile in a London listing: “When we speak, sometimes people say that we made a mistake to allow Anglo to list in London. Well, because it has happened, we’re not going to pursue that now, but what we want to see is Anglo continuing to brand itself as a South African company,” she said, adding that, with the appointment of Cutifani, the country was positive that would happen.

Speaker after speaker heaped praise on Cutifani, an Australian, who will remain on as the president of the Chamber of Mines of South Africa despite being based in London for Anglo American from April 3.

The outgoing AngloGold Ashanti CEO will be taking over from Anglo American’s equally pro-South African present incumbent, Cynthia Carroll.

Cutifani acknowledged that South Africans continued to have great expectations about Anglo American making an ongoing contribution to the South African economy.

For the rest of this column, please go to the MiningWeekly.com website: http://www.miningweekly.com/article/anglo-american-is-a-south-african-company-minerals-minister-reminds-new-ceo-2013-03-15