Court rules BHP and Anglo American must pay $2m Samancor tax arrears bill

摘要

Mining multinationals BHP Billiton and Anglo American lost their almost ten-year legal battle with Samancor Chrome Holdings, owned by Croatian Danko Koncar, over who was responsible for paying South African tax authorities 27m rands in tax arrears. On 21 May, after 10 years of lawsuits, the South African Supreme Court of Appeal rejected mining giants BHP Billiton and Anglo American's latest appeal. The court declared them responsible for tax arrears for the 2005 fiscal year for their Samancor Holdings (SH) joint venture, which they own 60% and 40% respectively. The lawsuit went on for quite a long time considering the rather piddly sum the two firms have to pay: 27.4m rands, around $2m.