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Businessmen seek talks with Mbeki on Zimbabwe's economy
Cape Times
April 05, 2005

http://www.capetimes.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=271&fArticleId=2469984

Business Unity South Africa (Busa) has urged President Thabo Mbeki to discuss Zimbabwe's economic crisis with South African business in an attempt to find solutions.

"Busa believes Zimbabwe's overarching economic challenges remain the same following (the country's) parliamentary elections (last week)," it said in a statement yesterday.

"South Africans in general and business in particular have a vital stake in seeing Zimbabwe resolve its acute economic problems. Zimbabwe is a nation with whom we do business and a national economy on which the people of that country are dependent for jobs, sustenance and future prosperity."

Busa believed the interdependence of the two economies was highlighted in a

2003 study that estimated the Zimbabwean crisis had cost the Southern African region R17 billion since 2000 and had shaved about 1.3% off South Africa's gross domestic product.

Now that the elections in Zimbabwe were over, South Africa continued to have a special interest in stability in that country and attention could again be given to its economic reconstruction, Busa said.

"While Busa accepts that there are limits to what South Africa can do - and that the basic issues need to be addressed by Zimbabwe itself - South Africa can help that country to come to terms with its economic realities and the agenda needed to manage them.

"Busa urges President Mbeki to avail himself of the first available opportunity to confer with the business community here on this important matter and to explore possible options." - Sapa

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