ACDP says SA loan for Zim election expected

Media Release
Cheryllyn Dudley MP
16 April 2013

ACDP says SA loan for Zim election expected
•SA budgets impacted significantly as Zimbabwean’s take refuge over past 13 years
•A stable Zimbabwe has the potential to be a significant trading partner and trading route to Africa

The ACDP today noted reports that the South African government has decided to approve $100-million (R912m) in budgetary support to Zimbabwe ahead of its elections expected in the second half of the year.

Cheryllyn Dudley, ACDP Member of Parliament and spokesperson on International Relations, said today that this was expected as, in response to a question she put to Deputy Minister of International Relations, Marius Fransman just after the successful referendum in Zimbabwe, the deputy Minister indicated that South Africa did expect Zimbabwe to request financial assistance and that South Africa was prepared to do whatever it could to ensure democratic elections took place in Zimbabwe without any unnecessary delays.

Dudley said: “It is presently in South Africa’s best interests in both the short and long term to prioritise assisting Zimbabwe to move forward, as the political situation there has impacted significantly on our budgets as vast numbers of Zimbabwean people have taken refuge in South Africa over the past 13 years. Zimbabwe also has the potential to be a significant trading partner and trading route to the rest of Africa making positive relations with our neighbour highly desirable.
“This situation is unfortunate and clearly an unfair burden on South African tax-payers who are committed to prioritizing South Africa’s unacceptable numbers of under serviced and still disadvantaged people.

The ACDP views South Africa’s former diplomatic efforts as largely responsible for the predicament we now find ourselves in, having facilitated, if not actually encouraged, President Mugabe’s disregard for the rule of law and his lack of concern for the consequences borne of his actions by the Zimbabwe people.

“If however, we want Zimbabweans to have a stable country to live in we will have to actively support the democratic elections – and this will mean providing the funds needed.”

Right now, and for the longest time, Zimbabwe has been a severely cash-strapped country – it does not have the capacity to fund their elections which provides a valid and convenient excuse for elections not to materialize.

Last year, Zimbabwean Finance Minister, Tendai Biti said Harare had asked South Africa and Angola for $150m amid a lack of aid from Western donors.

“This is our present reality, and what South Africa does now will impact not only on Zimbabwe’s future but our own.”

“The ACDP accepts that money spent on helping Zimbabweans to take ownership of their future through a peaceful and fair democratic election is an investment worth the risk and a move in the right direction.”

A South African Treasury spokeswoman said the two governments were “engaged in ongoing discussions” about the loan and its terms and declined to comment further. Zimbabwe Finance Minister Biti said, “It is self-evident that Treasury has no capacity to fund elections”.


'Of course questions must still be answered regarding terms, conditions and very importantly accountability to ensure the money is actually used to fund elections.'