/ 14 May 1997

Daewoo woos South Africa

WEDNESDAY, 8.30AM

A DELEGATION of top executives from the $76billion a year Korean multinationl Daewoo arrived in South Africa to look at new investments of up to more than R1,2 billion.

But first, the delegation wants a meeting with government to discuss tax breaks and other incentives for investing here. The company has been offered the standard incentive of a six year tax holiday, but wants to negotiate for cheap land, training grangs and municipal tax rebates.

Some of the projects under consideration include a factory to produce tubes for colour TV sets (a joint venture with Anglo American); motor car component manufacture; and a non-ferrous metals project. Some of the projects were first proposed three years ago, but protective tariffs had made the company decide to invest in Mexico and Vietnam instead.