Intervention by South Africa regarding Zimbabwe's Expulsion from the International Monetary Fund

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

FOR ORAL REPLY

QUESTION NO: 82

PUBLISHED IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 27 OF 23 AUGUST 2005

Mr L K Joubert (IFP) to ask the Minister:

Whether the Government has intervened on behalf of Zimbabwe to prevent Zimbabwe's expulsion from the International Monetary Fund in July 2005; if so, what commitments were made by the Zimbabwean government in return?

N1578E

REPLY:

The discussion on Zimbabwe's potential expulsion was due to take place at the IMF on 9 August 2005. The South African government recommended to the IMF that the discussion be postponed by one month to 9 September, to allow time for loan negotiations between South Africa and Zimbabwe to be finalised. The IMF agreed to this. No commitments from the Zimbabwean government were requested at that point.