Pretoria - Government has confirmed that it has received a consignment of banknotes from a plane that had been impounded in Zimbabwe.
International Relations and Cooperation Deputy Minister Luwellyn Landers said South Africa, working with Zimbabwean authorities, secured the release of the consignment.
“The plane carrying South African currency on behalf to the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has been released by the Zimbabwean authorities,” Deputy Minister Landers confirmed on Tuesday during the International Cooperation, Trade and Security cluster briefing.
The plane was on its way from Germany, carrying a large consignment of SA banknotes that had been printed in Europe. Zimbabwean authorities impounded the plane when the body of a stowaway, was found on board.
Deputy Minister Landers said investigations are underway to determine how the unidentified man ended up in the plane.
“At this point, investigations will be undertaken to ascertain how the body got into the plane… The person boarded the plane before it reached Zimbabwe, so investigations will have to take place in that jurisdiction as well.”
The SARB has reiterated that the process of printing South African currency abroad and the transporting thereof is part of the normal course of currency operations and business contingency planning.
The bank said a small percentage of the SARB's annual banknote order is outsourced to credible and vetted international printing companies, while the bulk of South African currency is produced at its wholly owned subsidiary, the South African Banknote Company. - SAnews.gov.za
