South Africa

Pretoria - A new initiative to review and strengthen the social sciences and humanities in South Africa's higher education system is in the pipeline.

Pretoria - More than 10 000 Zimbabwean nationals have applied for permits to stay in South Africa since a special documentation process was opened on 20 September.

Pretoria - In a bid to improve its cash flow and avoid accruals in the next financial year, the Gauteng Health and Social Development Department has committed to settling all supplier payments within 30 days.

Pretoria - Despite challenges in service delivery, the majority of residents in the City of Johannesburg seem to be satisfied customers.

Pretoria - Central defender Janine van Wyk and midfield star Gabisile Hlumbane are off the injury list and back in the 25 member-strong Banyana Banyana squad, to prepare for next Saturday's Olympic qualifier return leg against Zambia.

Cape Town - Government says it plans to create at least 120 000 jobs in 2011 through a massive road maintenance programme that will include maintenance of secondary roads and pothole patching projects across the country.

Pretoria - Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will return to South Africa tomorrow after wrapping up a meeting of the 61st Session of the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) Executive Committee in Switzerland.

Durban - The 10th ICC Cricket World Cup gets underway this week in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Mbombela - Mpumalanga's first Provincial Road Safety Council will be officially introduced on Friday.

Pretoria - Ekurhuleni residents who have been unable to make an appointment for their drivers' licence following the decision to suspend the centralised call centre system last week can now make bookings at any testing centre.

Media briefing held in Parliament, Cape Town on 15 February 2011

Pretoria - The Department of Transport in the Eastern Cape has prosecuted 173 scholar transport operators since the start of the academic year on Wednesday.

Cape Town - The South African government has hinted at the introduction of a new environmental tax in an effort to address future eruptions of acid mine drainage (AMD) in a country where the economy largely depends on mining.

Pretoria - The Environmental Affairs Department has set up an interim National Wildlife Crime Reaction Unit (NWCRU) aimed at responding to the upsurge of rhino poaching and smuggling of rhino horn.

Cape Town - Improved planning and co-ordination between national and provincial governments and municipalities will be central to the New Growth Path, the Minister of Economic Development, Ebrahim Patel, announced today.