South Africa would not depict itself as being different from the rest of Africa to potential investors, SA Reserve Bank Governor Tito Mboweni said in Pretoria on Thursday. He said on his travels abroad potential investors often encouraged South Africa to portray itself as such — ”to show that we are special Africans”. ”We have been resisting this advice. The fact of the matter is that we are part of Africa.” Mboweni was speaking during a dinner he hosted for the heads of foreign missions in the country. He said the continent’s central banks welcomed the New Partnership for African Development (NPAD). Governments’ commitment to the plan to revive economic and other development in Africa would enable these banks to freely pursue constructive monetary policies. ”Central banks will now be able to play an important role towards a monetary union in Africa.” It was vital for regional economic co-operation to be strengthened. Mboweni said an envisaged single African currency – that could well be called an Afro — would probably only become reality by the year 2025 or 2030. African central bank governors were prepared to fulfil their role to realise the African Union’s development objectives. ”We want to hold our heads high and see Africa succeed,” Mboweni said. – Sapa