A search and rescue team from South African charity organization Gift of the Givers arrived in Haiti later on Sunday via a land route from the Dominican Republic.

"Our 10-member search and rescue team was met by Catholic Relief Services in the Dominican Republic and was transported by road to Haiti. They will arrive in Haiti later today (Sunday)," said Gift of the Givers Chairman Dr Imtiaz Ismail Sooleiman in South Africa.

"It is a nine-hour long trip that requires a security escort from the Haitian side of the border."

Haiti and the Dominican Republic share their territory on the island of Hispaniola.

Sooleiman said a second team with another 2.5 million rands worth of heavy equipment and a medical team with emergency medication would depart for Haiti on Monday.

"We are in the final stages of negotiation, hoping to arrange a Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet with 100 tons of supplies to fly out later this week," he said.

The South African rescue team started working on the quake- devastated island at 11:00 AM on Sunday.

"The team arrived safely at 3:00 AM South African time," South African government international relations department spokesman Saul Molobi said in the afternoon.

"So far, so good. We haven't received any reports to update us on the situation on the ground."

(Xinhua News Agency January 18, 2010)