PRETORIA, June 27 (Xinhua) -- BRICS have shown progress surpassing the expectations of many including the prophets of doom, a South African government official said on Wednesday in Pretoria.

Deputy International Relations and Cooperation Minister Reginah Mhaule said this when she was giving a key note address at a workshop about BRICS in Africa.

"We can agree that it is a force to be reckoned with in the international arena and has contributed to increased dispersal of global political and economic power. The progress that has been recorded thus far is due to our collective commitment to see through the implementation of all our decisions which are always based on consensus," said Mhaule.

She said that South Africa joined BRICS to bring equity in the global affairs. "These countries are joined together by a strong desire to change the world system with the purpose of reflecting the diversity of the world power, economies, culture and the societies in general."

South Africa will host the 10th BRICS Summit next month. BRICS is an acronym for the grouping of the world's leading emerging economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.