South Africa

Pretoria - Trevor Manuel is set to head up the powerful National Planning Commission, to be located in the Presidency.

Pretoria - Newly inaugurated President Jacob Zuma has named Pravin Gordhan as the country's new finance minister.

Pretoria - South African motorists will be able to breathe a sigh of relief next week - as petrol and paraffin prices are to drop.

Pretoria - The newly formed break-away Congress of the People (Cope) has ruled out any possibility of a coalition with the African National Congress (ANC) in any of the provinces.

Pretoria - Independent Democrats (ID) leader Patricia de Lille says the formation of Cope has influenced the political landscape in the country.

Pretoria - Mo Shaik has been appointed as the Head of the South African Secret Services, Minister of State Security, Dr Siyabonga Cwele announced on Friday.

Pretoria - The Congress of the People (Cope) is "extremely delighted" to have achieved more than a million votes in the 2009 General Elections.

Pretoria - The Southern African Clothing and Textile Worker's Union (Sactwu) has welcomed the appointment of its General Secretary to the country's new Cabinet.

Pretoria - The 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee (OC) has congratulated the Ministers and Deputy Ministers who have been appointed by President Jacob Zuma.

Durban - South African Tourism (SAT) has launched the first Tourism Satellite Account - a tool used to measure growth and job creation in the tourism industry.

Pretoria - The Department of Health is optimistic that negotiations in the Bargaining Council in a bid to end the ongoing doctors' strike will be concluded as a matter of urgency.

Pretoria - The 34 ministers and their deputies who have been appointed to President Jacob Zuma's Cabinet, as well as Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, will be sworn in to office later today.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has been commended for appointing South Africa's first visually impaired female cabinet member.

Klerksdorp - North West MEC for Public Safety, Howard Yawa, has been encouraged by improvements in service delivery at some of the provinces police stations.

Bloemfontein - Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele officially opened the revamped Bloemfontein airport terminal on Friday, in preparation for next year's 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament.