Mon séjour en Afrique du Sud (Cape Town)

The SA National Defence Force (SANDF) has collected more than R600 000 in a symbolic gesture of goodwill for troops deployed in peacekeeping missions on the continent.

SANDF Chief General Godfrey Ngwenya on Wednesday received the donation from a few South African companies and other organisations.

The gesture would go a long way in encouraging the troops as they continue efforts to ensure peace and stability on the continent.

Several religious groups also made a donation of more than R200 000 worth of religious booklets.

Senior defence force officials will soon visit the troops to hand over the donations.

South Africa's peacekeeping operations in Africa remain a priority for government, with a focus on development, reconstruction and humanity, among others.

Among its other interventions on the continent, South Africa has helped facilitate a peace deal between the government of Burundi and the rebel group Palipehutu-FNL.

This process resulted in the signing of the Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement between the government of Burundi and Palipehutu-FNL in Tanzania last week.

The deal is expected to halt all hostilities there, armed or otherwise, including malicious public statements from both sides.

Most importantly, it is expected to unveil a programme for the repatriation of the Palipehutu-FNL leadership in the Great Lakes region and in the Diaspora, including their protection while in transit and static protection in Burundi as well as to disarm Palipehutu-FNL combatants and their transportation to United Nations (UN) supervised cantonment areas.

The SANDF has also deployed thousands of troops to help find peace and stability in other countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Sudan.

For the July elections in the DRC, South Africa deployed over 1 500 troops.

The country is also helping the DRC hold the second round of elections after presidential candidates failed to clinch an outright majority.

This saw President Mbeki leave for that country on Monday to hold discussions with the country's leadership on how to deal with the situation that emerged after the presidential and parliamentary elections.

The DRC has witnessed sporadic violence following the announcement of preliminary results after the July elections, where none of the presidential candidates captured an outright majority.

Nevertheless, South Africa is optimistic that conditions are conducive for the second round of the elections on 29 October.