Humble pie for 'arrogant' Woolies

Why Woolworths has been targeted is anyone's guess, says senior executive Paula Disberry, but it could be related to the perception that it is a Jewish company and therefore supportive of Israel.

"I can categorically say that we have no ties with the state of Israel.

"We have taken, and do take, an apolitical stance on issues."

As for being a Jewish company, its shareholders, executive committee and board are representative of South Africa. "BDS (the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel in South Africa group that is spearheading the campaign) is misinformed in terms of that," she said.

Woolworths had so far refused to meet BDS because, she said, correspondence between them made it clear that "there'd be no benefit in doing so".

"The only thing they wanted was for us to stop sourcing (from Israeli suppliers).

"That was not a conversation we were prepared to have, so we didn't see any reason to hold a meeting."

Personal contact only worked "when you're dealing with rational people. We were not sure that was ever going to be a productive conversation."

As a result, and not for the first time, Woolworths has been painted as arrogant and obdurate.

"Hindsight is a wonderful thing," she said. "We didn't appreciate how long this was going to go on. Maybe if we had had that foresight, we would have engaged earlier."

Now the high court has told them to get on with it.

"I guess things have changed and we are going to meet with them in the course of the next week," Disberry said.