Mon séjour en Afrique du Sud (Cape Town)

Cabinet has welcomed the improvement of security in the Democratic Republic of Congo, reiterating the recent violence in the eastern town of Bukavu will not derail the peace process.

In a statement after a meeting in Cape Town yesterday, Cabinet saluted the two South African soldiers who died in an accident in an operation around Bukavu.

Several other soldiers under the United Nations Mission in the DRC were injured during an attack in Bukavu.

"Government is confident that these developments will not impact on the overall peace process in this country. On behalf of all South Africans, we salute the SANDF soldiers who died in an accident, after they had been involved in an operation around Bukavu.

"We convey our condolences to their next-of-kin, and wish those who were injured a speedy recovery," said Cabinet.

"Normalcy" has returned in Bukavu after the Congolese government troops yesterday retook control of the eastern town that was captured by dissident rebels during the weekend.

Sebastian Lapierre, a UN spokesperson has been quoted as saying government troops retook the town without any fighting as Jules Mutebutsi, a rebel leader, and his men fled.

"Mutebutsi's soldiers have run away as the government troops are moving back in. People are playing drums. Mutebutsi is nowhere to be seen," Lapierre said.

The attack on Bukavu sparked off fears the two rebel groups might derail the peace process in the DRC signed in Pretoria last year to end four years of brutal warfare in that country.

The all-inclusive peace accord installed a transitional power sharing government based on the principles of inclusivity, nation building, accountability and respect for the territorial integrity of the DRC.

The agreement provided for DRC President Joseph Kabila to remain head of state after the death of his father, Laurent, for a two-year period, after which elections will be held to elect a new government. The DRC elections are due to be held next year.

The war in DRC has drawn troops from seven other African nations, like Uganda, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, many of which have been accused of looting the anarchic country's resources.

The war is estimated to have left about 2.5 million dead in the mineral-rich, but impoverished, country.

South Africa also expressed confidence that further progress would be made to bring peace and democracy as well as economic growth and development in Burundi.