/ 23 May 1997

SA aid for Kabila’s Congo

FRIDAY, 8.30AM

DEPUTY PRESIDENT Thabo Mbeki has asked both finance minister Trevor Manuel and Reserve Bank governor Chris Stals to send a task team to Kinshasa to help with economic recovery.

Stals said yesterday that the Bank could help with the managing of bank regulations, and foreign and gold reserves. The team has not yet been appointed and the matter is still under discussion.

Deputy foreign minister Aziz Pahad said South Africa was willing to assist the kabila government, but only after Kabila had assessed his needs, and only as part of an international initiative.