South Africa had not provided Zimbabwe with direct financial aid, although an amount of R50000 had been donated through the United Nations World Food Programme for food aid, Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said on Tuesday.

She was replying in writing to a parliamentary question from Andries Botha (DP).

While Pretoria had not provided direct food aid to Harare, it would provide 100000 metric tons of maize to six "food insecure" Southern African nations, including Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland and Zambia, she said.

In addition, South Africa had undertaken to mill donated genetically modified maize for Zimbabwe, Dlamini-Zuma said.

Noting that Zimbabwe was experiencing problems in transporting food aid from South African ports, Pretoria had "explored measures that would reduce the lead time of the transportation of food aid through its port to Zimbabwe".

Zimbabwe had also asked South Africa for help in obtaining spare parts for locomotives and rolling stock, as well as leasing two locomotives, and the government had agreed to forward this request to Transnet, Dlamini-Zuma said.

However, no undertaking had been given regarding fuel to Zimbabwe.

Quoting from statistics, Dlamini-Zuma said about 6,7-million Zimbabweans -- 49 percent of the population -- would require emergency food aid until the end of March.

The most critical months for aid were from December to March 2003, but "should the upcoming harvest fails, the situation would worsen", she said.

Earlier this week, the minister told the Pretoria Press Club that Pretoria would never condemn President Robert Mugabe's government.

This led to criticism from the DA, which accused the South African government of irresponsibility and deterring foreign investment - Sapa.