There are also large deposits of diamonds, gold and other valuable in South Africa that are considered strategically important to western imperialism. 26 percent of the world's uranium reserves - essential for both nuclear warheads and nuclear power stations - are located countries have armed the racist regime - in Britain's case despite a In addition, 360 US companies have over $1.2 billion invested in South Alrica- and Us investment continues to grow in South Africa by 12.8 per cent a year. 500 British companies have investments in the country worth over £2,000 million Since the wages of black workers in South Africa are kept at extremely low levels by the apartheid laws, these imperialist investments yield some of the highest profits in the world.
Collaborate But perhaps the most important consideration for the western powers is Pretoria's role as a bastion of imperialist rule on the African continent. Itself an imperialist power, the South African regime has the economic and military strength to advance its own interests and those of its western allies well beyond its borders - as the South African invasion of Angola last year proved.
Moreover, the imperialist powers are committed to the defence of white rule in South Africa since a transition to neo-colonial methods) as where in the continent) would be virtually impossible in South Africa's case. The rigid apartheid system has JIM though it may now be too late in the day - that the explosive situation in southern Africa can be defused if a