Johannesburg, South Africa
In September 2010, Walmart put up $4.6 billion to buy Massmart, a South African supermarket chain, making clear it had plans to move into the newly expanding economies of Africa.
But the deal drew protests from anti-capitalist campaigners, politicians, and local unions. Saccawu, a shopworkers union, appealed the decision to the Competition Tribunal of South Africa, according to the Guardian. Union officials said they were afraid of job losses and damage to the livelihoods of local store owners. Months later, a South African court gave jobs back to 500 workers who had been fired, but essentially swatted away all other concerns about the Walmart-Massmart merger.
Despite the protests, the deal went through. Walmart now has shops in 12 African nations.
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