Durban - The Central African Republic's Prime Minister Nicolas Tiangaye is expected in South Africa soon to discuss the possible return of SANDF troops to the country - a month after 13 of their fellow soldiers died there in a battle with Seleka rebels.
President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday said the CAR government - which includes the Seleka rebels - and other central African leaders had made a verbal request to him to contribute troops to a multinational peacekeeping force.
Zuma said his government would consider the request for troops after it had been formally presented by the CAR transitional government and the Economic Community of Central African States.
His spokesman, Mac Maharaj, added later that South Africa would consider the request "sympathetically".
The peace force's mission would be to police the transitional arrangement that was put in place after the Seleka rebels ousted President Francois Bozize last month.
The SANDF troops, who had been providing training to the CAR military for more than five years, withdrew from the country after Seleka's takeover.
Government sources have confirmed that the request for SANDF troops to return to the CAR was made at a recent community summit which had been attended by Tiangaye.
Tiangaye is a former member of the political opposition to Bozize.
He was appointed prime minister in a transitional government that is meant to prepare for elections within 18 months.
Zuma said that if South Africa turned down the request it would be inconsistent with its policy of trying to stabilise Africa.
His announcement appeared to contradict Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, who told Parliament, also on Wednesday, in a written reply to a question, that his government would not be sending troops to the CAR.
The Mercury
IOLSA