President Jacob Zuma on Sunday congratulated Francois Hollande on winning the French presidential election, the department of international relations and co-operation said.

"We would like to take this opportunity to extend our congratulations to Mr Hollande and the people of France for a successful election," Zuma said in the statement.

"We look forward to consolidating our political and trade relations with the government of France under Mr Hollande's leadership."

Spokesman Clayson Monyela said France played an important role in various multilateral forums including the European Union, the United Nations Security Council, the G20, the International Monetary Fund and other strategic multilateral institutions.

Zuma added that South Africa and France enjoyed strong bilateral political and trade relations.

Hollande was elected France's first socialist president in nearly two decades on Sunday dealing a humiliating defeat to incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy and shaking up European politics.

The result will have major implications for Europe as it struggles to emerge from a financial crisis and for France, the eurozone's second-largest economy and a nuclear-armed permanent member of the UN Security Council.  -Sapa