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LOOK-OUT: A security guard in the Big Bazaar store in Mumbai. PHOTO: REUTERS

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The lawyers said they reviewed Wal-Mart policies in Mexico, Brazil and China, and later recommended the company to evaluate its operations in South Africa and India.

They referred to those countries as regions where the risk was the greatest, said the lawmakers.

Wal-Mart acknowledged it is probing bribery allegations in its Mexican operations and that it is conducting a global review of its anti-corruption compliance programme, but has not provided details about the review.

According to the letter from Democrats Elijah Cummings and Henry Waxman, Wal-Mart asked its lawyers to expand the review to a worldwide assessment of the company's anti-corruption policies.

The review led Wal-Mart to revise its programme to include a new procedure for escalating corruption complaints to senior management and the board's audit committee, the letter said.

Cummings and Waxman asked the company on Tuesday to provide documents about the review and the recommendations. They wrote to Wal-Mart chief executive Michael Duke and also asked him to allow witnesses to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the allegations.

Outside lawyers for Wal-Mart briefed the lawmakers in May about the company's programme to comply with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act that bars bribes to foreign governments. But the lawyers did not answer questions about the substance of the allegations, which were brought to light by theNew York Times that Wal-Mart de Mexico orchestrated bribes of $24-million to help it grow quickly and that its top brass tried to cover it up.

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Sat May 18 20:41:18 SAST 2013 ::

Jun 14, 2012

MasheleJ

Whoops!

Ain't that all the "BRICS" countries? What a coincidence???

And with Russia not mentioned 'cos Walmart first wanna finish business negoiations there before they also point fingers at the very high levels of corruption and graft in that benighted country...
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Jun 15, 2012

CheeseBoy

Wal-Mart. A US based company known for its ruthless and underhanded tactics to decimate competition at all costs. Thousands of people have lost jobs because of Wal-Mart, I don't know why our govt allowed this evil entity onto our shores.

They should be the last people to point fingers at corruption as their ethics are just as bad, if not worse.
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Jun 15, 2012

Mthunzsu

@Cheese boy,

Yes, so Wal-Mart is unapologetic capitalists and hard ruthless business people.

I fail however see how this distracts from the fact that SA has been identified as one of the top performers in operating in the “creasing your own pocket” department.
It does not change that fact that in SA corruption is a way of life, and it is not a reputation you want, no matter how Wal-Mart conduct its business.

Focus my man, focus…

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