Sunday August 20, 10:07 am Eastern Time
S.Africa's Harry Oppenheimer dead at 91
(UPDATE: adds condolence message from ANC, paras 6-7, opening of website, para 11)
By Lucia Mutikani
JOHANNEBSURG, Aug 20 (Reuters) - South African mining magnate Harry Oppenheimer, former chairman of Anglo American Corp and De Beers Consolidated Mines , died on Saturday, company officials said on Sunday. He was 91.
Anglo American Plc (quote from Yahoo! UK & Ireland: AAL.L) chairman Julian Ogilvie Thompson said in a statement that Oppenheimer died on Saturday evening after a short illness.
``South Africa has lost one of her greatest sons,'' Thompson said of the businessman and politician who inherited South Africa's biggest private fortune from his father, Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, founder of the gold and diamond conglomerate.
Anglo American described him as one of the world's leading businessmen.
``Few people weilded power as gracefully as Harry Oppenheimer. Never dictatorial, his style rather was one of rational argument and persuation and his influence on the course of politics in South Africa, as well as business, was as remarkable as it was pervasive,'' Thompson said.
The ruling African National Congress (ANC) said Oppenheimer had made a significant contributed to the building of the South African economy.
``As we mourn his passing away, we encourage his colleagues in business to take over where he left and continue with his good work,'' said ANC spokesman Nat Serache.
Oppenheimer was chairman of Anglo American Coproration for 25 years and chairman of De Beers for 27 years until he retired from those positions in 1982 and 1984 respectively.
He was a member of both boards of directors from 1934, retiring from the Anglo American board after 48 years and from the De Beers board in 1994 after serving 60 years.
``There will always be those who say he could have done more. Essentially he would have agreed with them, accepting, sadly that people's achievements seldom match their aspirations,'' said Thompson.
Anglo American said it would open a website -- www.harryoppenheimer.org.za -- for condolences at around 1500
Gmt.
Born on October 28, 1908, in Kimberly, a diamond mining town in South Africa, Oppenheimer was educated in South Africa and England.
He served a long apprenticeship at the side of Sir Ernest Oppenheimer and on his father's death in 1957 took over the chairmanship of Anglo American and De Beers.
``Harry Oppenheimer steered the world's diamond industry through a tremendous, though not uninterrupted, era of growth,'' said Thompson.
Anglo American listed on the London Stock Exchange in June 1999 and was immediately ranked in the top 25 of the FTSE 100 index with a market capitalisation of $12 billion, a far cry from the one million pounds with which Oppenheimer's father had used to set up the company.
Oppenheimer is survived by his wife, Bridget, his son Nicholas, current chairman of De Beers, and a daughter, Mary.
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