 It was then the subject of an acrimonious, hostile and unsuccessful take-over bid by Minorco early in 1988.Consolidated Gold Fields played a key role in ending apartheid in South Africa; Michael Young, the company's public affairs director embarked on the controversial course of initiating secret discussions between the South African government and the African National Congress at Mells Park House in the company's estate in Somerset.This ultimately resulted in the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990 and the handover of power to majority rule