South Africa

Pretoria - An amount of R800 million has been made available by the National Treasury for the Green Fund over the next two financial years.

In a bid to produce more teachers in the country, the Higher Education and Training Department is planning to open three former teacher training colleges next year.

Pretoria - Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa says the fight against rhino poaching requires joint initiatives from all South Africans.

Pretoria - The Department of Water and Environmental Affairs has committed to ensuring that 55 percent of women and two percent of people with disabilities benefit from the department's programmes.

Pretoria - The Presidency has moved to clarify the comments made by President Jacob Zuma in the media, regarding the review of the Constitutional Court.

Johannesburg - The City of Joburg has opened four new Rea Vaya bus stations which will enable commuters to easily integrate with both Metrorail and the soon-to-be-opened Gautrain station at Park station.

Cape Town - The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) will begin re-registering all social grant beneficiaries on a new biometric system between June 1 and December 31, the Minister of Social Development Bathabile Dlamini said on Wednesday.

Pretoria - Cabinet has urged South Africans to be more responsible on the country's roads.

Pretoria - Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk has called on South Africans to explore their own country and experience the beauty that lures millions of international tourists here.

The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) has increased its turnaround time for approval of loans to businesses and has increased loans approvals by over 35%, the Minister of Economic Development Ebrahim Patel said in his Budget Vote speech today.

Pretoria - Visiting Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil and President Jacob Zuma are due to address a South Africa-India business forum later today.

Pretoria - The laboratories at public health facilities, which closed down last week, are now back in operation, Gauteng Department of Health and Social Development said on Tuesday.

Pretoria - The South African port operator, Transnet Port Terminals (TPT), has committed a capital expenditure of R33 billion over the next seven years to encourage economic growth and efficiencies in its port terminal management.

Pretoria - International Relations and Cooperation Minister Nkoana-Mashabane, in her capacity as
COP17/CMP7 President, will on Friday host an informal ministerial meeting on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action in Bonn, Germany.

Pretoria - Government does not intend to scrap the nine provinces altogether, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Richard Baloyi clarified on Tuesday.