Pretoria - Cabinet has approved a request by the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) to commission the locally manufactured Rooivalk combat support helicopter, government spokesperson Joel Netshitenzhe said on Thursday.

"The helicopter programme represents significant levels of South African industrial and innovation expertise commensurate with world-class technology," he told reporters in Pretoria.

The approval came on Wednesday.

South Africa was one of five countries in the world producing a dedicated combat helicopter.

"This capability will stand the SANDF in good stead both in securing the country and in peacekeeping missions."

Defence department spokesperson Sam Mkhwanazi said 12 helicopters would be commissioned. Two were still under construction and 10 were being prepared for operational use.

The helicopters should be introduced into service in about two-and-a-half years' time.

It would cost the SANDF about R660m to get the helicopters in the air and maintain them, Mkhwanazi said.

Netshitenzhe also announced that Cabinet had approved a bill to improve corporate governance arrangements at arms procurer Armscor.

Staying with defence matters, he said Cabinet had given the go-ahead for a six-month extension of SANDF participation in peacekeeping in Burundi - until June next year.

It had also approved a 16-month extension, until March 2004, for 12 military personnel forming part of African Union and United Nations missions in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

With acknowledgements to Sapa and www.news24.co.za.