'Big chains keep blacks out of loop'

Controversial political party Agency for New Agenda is hauling South Africa's five major retailers to court for racial discrimination and is threatening to scupper a trillion-rand business deal. In a three-pronged court action, the party accuses SABMiller and chain stores Shoprite, Spar, Massmart, Woolworths and Pick n Pay of racial exclusion of black businesses from their supply value chain.