South Africa

Mbombela - The first three days of matric exams have gone off smoothly in Mpumalanga, with no reports of exam papers being leaked.

Pretoria - The public participation process with regard to the country's long-term electricity capacity plan has been delayed for a few weeks,

Pretoria - Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) and trade union federation COSATU have both came out in support of government's new economic growth path, adding that they will wait for more details of the plan.

Pretoria - The Correctional Services Department says it will conduct an audit of all inmates sentenced to life before 1 October 2004 for possible consideration for parole.

Pretoria - Although the outbreak of rabies in some areas mostly in the south of Johannesburg is under control, the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development says it is continuing with a campaign to vaccinate pets.

Pretoria - The Gauteng Department of Local Government and Housing has threatened to evict people who bought houses built on government and privately owned land in Lenasia.

Rustenburg - The North West province has succeeded in employing 630 healthcare professionals in vacant posts between April and August this year.

Pretoria - The 17th World Festival of Youth and Students to be held in December will bring tremendous benefits to the youth of South Africa, says the National Youth Development Agency.

Pretoria - An amount of R28 million has been approved to partially fund internet access networks for rural higher education campuses.

Pretoria - For 170 inmates from prisons across Gauteng, months of hard work and determination paid off on Wednesday when they were awarded their certificates, diplomas and degrees during a graduation ceremony at Pretoria Prison.

Johannesburg - The Gauteng provincial government remained upbeat on Wednesday that plans were in place to help the province recover from the recent public servants' strike.

Pretoria - The National Regulator for Compulsory Specification (NRCS) has urged the public to be on the lookout and report short massed products following the discovery of a company that was selling bread that is underweight.

Pretoria - Government has condemned reports that a 57-year-old sangoma has married a 13-year-old girl in Modimolle, Limpopo.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has explained to Members of Parliament (MPs) the importance of foreign trips undertaken by government and the long term investment opportunities it will have on the South African economy.

Pretoria - Government has welcomed the fact that the debate on a proposed Media Appeals Tribunal has now entered Parliament.