南非储备银行和金融机构正在准备一项备选方案，以防年底前未能通过切换至新兰特基准利率所需的立法。
The South African Reserve Bank and financial institutions are preparing a backup plan in case legislation needed for the switch to a new rand benchmark interest rate isn’t passed by the end of the year.
南非储备银行在电子邮件回复中表示，包括央行、金融业行为监管局和私营企业在内的市场从业者小组正在考虑各种选项，以确保如果立法推迟，过渡仍能顺利进行。
The Market Practitioners Group, which includes the central bank, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority and private-sector firms, is considering options to ensure the transition can proceed smoothly if the legislation is delayed, the Reserve Bank said in an emailed response to questions.
央行表示：“任何过渡时间表或相关安排的变更都将及时传达给市场。”
“Any changes to the transition timetable or related arrangements would be communicated to the market in a timely manner,” it said.
南非兰特隔夜指数平均利率——即 Zaronia——定于今年年底取代约翰内斯堡银行间平均利率。
The South African rand overnight index average — known as Zaronia — is scheduled to replace the Johannesburg interbank average rate at the end of this year.
上个月，立法者暂停了对《一般金融法律修正法案》的审议，该法案包含有助于将现有合同从 Jibar 转移到 Zaronia 的条款，特别是那些难以修改的合同。他们希望确保该立法符合 9 月 17 日宪法法院的一项裁决，该裁决要求议会在立法过程中促进充分的公众参与。
Lawmakers last month paused consideration of the General Finance Laws Amendment Bill, which includes provisions to help shift existing contracts from Jibar to Zaronia, particularly those that are difficult to amend. They wanted to ensure the legislation complied with a Sept. 17 Constitutional Court ruling requiring parliament to facilitate adequate public participation in the legislative process.
央行还强调，Zaronia 仍然是 Jibar 的首选继任利率。
The central bank also stressed that Zaronia remains the preferred successor rate to Jibar.
央行表示：“立法程序的任何延误都不会改变过渡的方向，市场参与者应继续采用 Zaronia 并减少其 Jibar 相关风险敞口。”
“Any delay in the legislative process would not change the direction of the transition, and market participants should continue to adopt Zaronia and reduce their Jibar-related exposures,” it said.
作为切换的一部分，市场从业者小组已选定富时罗素负责管理期限 Zaronia，这是该基准利率的一个版本，旨在让借款人和贷款人对未来的利息支付有更大的确定性。
As part of the switch, the MPG has selected FTSE Russell to administer Term Zaronia, a version of the benchmark designed to give borrowers and lenders greater certainty about future interest payments.
央行表示，富时罗素正在其网站上发布期限 Zaronia 的测试版本，允许银行和其他市场参与者在与新基准利率挂钩的产品交易发展过程中对其进行跟踪。
FTSE Russell is publishing a test version of Term Zaronia on its website, allowing banks and other market participants to track it as trading in products linked to the new benchmark develop, the central bank said.