http://www.suntimes.co.za/2002/11/03/business/news/news08.asp "Shakir Alkhafaji, managing director of Falcon, said South African companies under the banner of his management group were manufacturing their own brand of commodities, such as powdered milk, detergent, soap and sugar, for supply to Iraq.
"Alkhafaji, an Iraqi national, co-founded Falcon with Cape Town businessman Rodney Hemphill in 1993. The company has traded about 500-million in Iraq.
He said the trade protocol and Pahad's visit would open up trade between the countries."
http://www.theherald.co.za/herald/2002/11/06/news/n09_06112002.htm Saddam backs increase in trade with SA
...While Mr Hemphill and his counterparts are excited by the prospects of increased trade with Iraq, the businessmen are equally concerned about the consequences of the US leading an attack on Iraq.
“This will lead to a war, which will not only further destroy the economy of Iraq, but in turn affect all business trade from other countries amounting to billions and billions of dollars each year,” he said.
Mr Hemphill’s partner and international trader, Shakir Alkhafaji, said even under the current rigorous sanctions, Iraq’s economy was equal to the Arab-Gulf countries combined. “War will destroy this all,” he said.
Echoing Mr Hemphill’s concerns, Mr Pahad said the international community needed to ensure UN arms inspectors entered Iraq as soon as possible to carry out their work objectively and with the sole purpose of determining whether Iraq has weapons of mass destruction or not. ©Business Day