South Africa declares 500-rand note fake


According to an IOL.com article dated 17 October 2009, the South African Reserve Bank has refuted a rumor circulating via email claiming that the bank is about to issue a 500-rand (US$68) note.

Robertina Mbedzi, assistant communications practitioner at the Reserve Bank, said "The bank is currently not planning to issue a R500 note in the future and we are unaware of how this e-mail came about. South Africa has a family of five bank note denominations and the R200 note remains the highest denomination."