IBM Pullout From S. Africa Completed

IBM, the U.S. computer giant, Sunday completed its anti-apartheid pullout from South Africa and handed over its sales network to a locally owned trust called Information Services Management, a senior executive said.

IBM is among dozens of American and European companies that have announced plans to withdraw from South Africa to protest Pretoria’s discriminatory race policies.

IBM managing director Jack Clarke said the American company handed its operations over to the trust set up by IBM and known as Information Services Management.

He said IBM employees would be co-owners of the new company and would earn a share of its profits. IBM had about 1,500 employees, more than 75% of them white. The company said no jobs were likely to be lost because of the move.