Pretoria - South Africa has congratulated Joseph Kabila on his re-election as president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and reaffirmed its commitment to strengthen relations with that country.
In a statement, the International Relations Department said South Africa remained committed to a strategy of post-conflict reconstruction and development in the DRC that is aligned with that of the African Union and NEPAD.
"Furthermore, the South African government and its citizens reiterate [their] commitment to continue working with the government and the people of the DRC, with a strong emphasis on devising mechanisms and processes to ensure rapid development in existing and new bilateral projects for the mutual benefit of the two countries," the department said.
A presidential inauguration will be held today, where Pretoria will be represented by International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane.
There has been tension in that country after opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, who lost in the elections, rejected the vote results.
Kabila won by 49 percent of the votes, while Tshisekedi got 32 percent.
