South Africa

Cape Town - Government aims to save over R27 billion a year by cutting down on wastage and slashing inefficient spending.

Pretoria - A preliminary report by the Ministerial Task Team, established to look into government expenditure in response to the current economic downturn, was today released by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.

Cape Town - The Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan, has announced the further relaxation of exchange controls in a bid to reduce the cost of doing business in the country and attract more foreign investment.

Honourable Speaker
Mister President
Mister Deputy President
Fellow Cabinet Colleagues and Deputy Ministers
Governor of the Reserve Bank and Governor-Designate
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Members of the Diplomatic Corps
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Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen

Cape Town - Government is set to up its efforts to create more jobs and plans to create 4.5 million short-term jobs through the Expanded Public Works Programme over the next five years.

Cape Town - Government will spend R524 million to fund the rollout of workbooks for pupils in Grades one to seven in the poorest 60 percent of schools for the 2010 school year, to boost literacy and numeracy in early grades.

Cape Town - Government will provide a total of R900 million to accommodate a higher take-up of anti-retroviral treatment, with government spending on HIV and AIDS programmes increasing to R4.4 billion this year, from R1.1 billion in 2005.

Cape Town - Over the next three years, government will focus on five key areas to grow the economy and transform South Africa into a safer, healthier, more skilled country that is able to create and sustain more jobs.

Polokwane – A 29-year-old fugitive wanted for the brutal rape of a two-year-old in Maake, outside Tzaneen, two weeks ago has finally been arrested.

Pretoria – Gauteng Health MEC Hope Papo says the province’s Health Turnaround Strategy is yielding positive results.

Kimberly – Northern Cape Acting Premier Grizelda Cjiekella says a positive picture is emerging from the province’s financial books.

Pretoria - International Relations and Cooperation Deputy Minister Marius Fransman has concluded his working visit to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Centurion – Telkom says its 8ta brand will not be discontinued, but that “elements of the market, which had been serviced and marketed to under the 8ta brand, will soon be served under the Telkom Mobile brand”.

By Mohlatlego Moitsi

Mbombela - Helen Mmaleseyane Leseyane (39) is passionate about making a meaningful change in the lives of offenders.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has written to the leaders of political parties in the National Assembly, in terms of section 174(4) of the Constitution, to consult them on the filling of the vacancy in the Constitutional Court.