Kinshasa - Zimbabwe has made significant progress towards ending its political crisis as its once feuding leaders learn to bury their differences, SA President Jacob Zuma said on Monday.

Speaking in Kinshasa at an SADC summit, Zuma also said southern Africa had to remain on hand to help Zimbabwe push on after the establishment of a unity government in Harare.

"Significant progress has been made under the auspices of the Inclusive Government," said Zuma who is standing down as head of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) after South Africa's 12-month stint in the chair.

"We are all encouraged by how the three parties put their differences aside."

Kabila takes over

Zimbabwe was plunged into political crisis last March after veteran leader Robert Mugabe was beaten into second place in a presidential election by his long-time rival and MDC head Morgan Tsvangirai.

The MDC leader subsequently pulled out of a run-off election after scores of his supporters were killed but he eventually agreed to join a unity government in February this year as prime minister, along with another opposition faction.

"These achievements signalled to the people of Zimbabwe, the region and the world, that the Zimbabwean political leadership was ready to collectively tackle the political and the socio-economic challenges facing that country," added Zuma.

Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila, who succeeds Zuma in the SADC chair, told his fellow leaders that he wanted "to encourage the continuation of efforts" to resolve differences between Mugabe's Zanu-PF party and Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change

By SAPA