[8] The foundation served abroad, in the New York Times's description, as "as an independent source of information about South Africa as well as a sort of ad hoc chamber of commerce for the country";[6] in this respect, it was bolstered by a dedicated office in Washington D.C. and by Anglo American's global network of subsidiaries.
[2] However, the South Africa Foundation also promoted itself as a pressure group that lobbied the apartheid government to undertake progressive reforms.
[9] After the end of apartheid in 1994, the South Africa Foundation was critical of the post-apartheid government's macroeconomic and labour policy, publishing a critique of the Reconstruction and Development Programme under the title Growth for All in February 1996.
[7] During the same period, the foundation came under sustained attack from Ronald Suresh Roberts, who accused it of having been "actively committed to pro-apartheid culture".
[19] In September 2017, amid mounting allegations that certain member companies had been involved in state capture, BLSA temporarily suspended the membership of Eskom, Transnet, and KPMG.