Mon séjour en Afrique du Sud (Cape Town)

A military delegation from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will meet the Sandf [South African Defence Force] this weekend to discuss training and security sector reforms.

Provincial and Local Government Minister Sydney Mufamadi told reporters this in Pretoria on Friday after his return from a fact finding mission to the DRC following recent outbreaks of violence there.

Security analyst Henri Boshoff said the planned meeting could have a significant impact on the integration of the armies fighting in the DRC conflict.

It could also contribute to the formation of the Supreme Defence Council, seen as an essential ingredient for peace in the region.

Mufamadi said the majority of people in the DRC were committed to the peaceful transition to democracy and that the violence was a result of pressures incurred by the slow process of reform.

"Freak incidents such as these have no chance of success," he said referring to the coup attempt on Friday [10 June] morning.

Heavy automatic weapon fire broke out in Congo's capital early on Friday after what the government had described as a failed coup attempt overnight. Residents also reported gunfire near the private residence of the DRC's President Joseph Kabila.

But Mufamadi dismissed rumours that Kabila had suspended the transition process following the early morning attack.

"We were in contact with him again this morning and he dismissed such rumours," he said, adding Kabila could not suspend the process himself even if he had wanted to.

Mufamadi said his delegation - from Foreign Affairs, the Presidency and the South African National Defence Force - spoke to all role players on his short visit including United Nations representatives.

He said everybody in the DRC was undaunted by recent events.

He however admitted that the slow pace of reform appeared to be the cause of the recent upheaval.

He said the government, restricted by "limited resources", had still not legislated amnesty, nationality or started integrating the armed forces. This he said, "was putting somewhat of a drag on the process of transition."

He said the amnesty legislation had to be speeded up because this ensured that there would be place for all after the planned election in June 2005.

Mufamadi said Kabila saw the outbreak of violence as a time to pause and take stock. Kabila acknowledged there were problems - an acknowledgement that boded well, Mufamadi said.

"It helps the international community, including South Africa, place itself and to see how best to help," he said.

Dressed in military uniform, Kabila said in his first address to the vast nation since the overnight coup that the leader of the plotters, Maj Eric Lenge of the presidential guard, was still on the run.

"The aim is too arrest them all as quickly as possible," said Kabila, adding: "For the moment, the security forces, the army, are hunting for the major."