South Africa

Pretoria - Fresh from his official visit to Nigeria, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe will on Saturday depart for Rome where he is expected to participate in the World Food Summit.

Pretoria - The Limpopo Department of Health and Social Development has announced a rapid decrease in Malaria cases across the province.

Cape Town - Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Jeff Radebe has assured soccer teams and international visitors arriving in South Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup that they will be safe during their stay.

Cape Town - The government plans to introduce reforms to strengthen the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD), the body tasked to look into police abuses, the Secretary of Police Jennifer Irish-Qhobosheane said on Friday.

Cape Town - An innovative new system aimed at speeding up the processing of identity documents (IDs), is currently being implemented at Home Affairs offices around the country.

Polokwane - Limpopo's Department of Local Government and Housing has increased the number of RDP houses it has built from 11 000 in the 2008/2009 financial year to 16 000 this year.

Bushbuckridge - Mpumalanga's MEC for Human Settlements, Madala Masuku, has assured disabled people living in Bushbuckridge that the provincial government will provide them with houses that suit their needs.

Johannesburg - Gauteng MEC for Infrastructure Development Nonhlanhla Mazibuko has lashed out at contractors employed to renovate the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital after discovering the shocking lack of progress on the project.

Pretoria - Operations at coal fired power station Kusile have not been hampered as a result of a Greenpeace protest, Eskom says.

Cape Town - FIFA President Sepp Blatter has described today's meeting of the football body's Executive Committee, on Robben Island, as historic.

Pretoria - The Telkom Foundation on Wednesday launched its Entrepreneurship Programme aimed at up-skilling individuals to start and grow their businesses.

Nelspruit - The long-awaited extension of the child-support grant has been rolled out in Mpumalanga.

Pretoria - The South African Police Service and the South African National Defence Force Board of Inquiry are investigating a shooting incident at Kansasvlakte Oudtshoon.

Pretoria - As the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign reaches its half way mark, government is calling on all stakeholders to intensify efforts to prevent gender-based violence and child abuse.

Nairobi - The Coca-Cola and FIFA World Cup Trophy has arrived in Kenya, where it was received by President Mwai Kibaki in the capital, Nairobi.