Lawmakers questioned whether the money can be recovered, including amounts Zimbabwe owes South African Airways.
South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) faced questions from lawmakers about the country’s ability to recover money owed by foreign governments. The department briefed Parliament’s Standing Committee on Appropriations on plans to collect outstanding debts.
The debts include money Zimbabwe owes South African Airways for aviation-related services. Committee members expressed frustration after Dirco initially failed to provide some of the figures and details they had requested.
Committee chairperson Mmusi Maimane questioned whether the money would ever be recovered, saying the debts had persisted for years. He asked for commercially sensitive matters and information about other indebted entities to be discussed in a closed session.