South Africa

Pretoria - Cabinet has applauded Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma on the pilot implementation of smart ID cards.

Pretoria - In preparing for the National Mental Health Summit taking place next month, the North West Department of Health will be holding a provincial Mental Health Summit highlighting the challenges confronting the mental health sector.

Pretoria - Political advisor to President Jacob Zuma, Charles Nqakula, has been appointed as High Commissioner designate to Mozambique, said the Presidency.

Pretoria - South Africa and India are set to reach a target of 15 billion US dollars of trade before the agreed upon deadline of 2014, President Jacob Zuma said on Thursday.

Pretoria - Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula says he is hopeful that stadiums will be filled to capacity during the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) and 2014 Championship of African Nations (CHAN) tournaments.

Pretoria - Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa has noted concerns and allegations related to Crime Intelligence head Lieutenant-General Richard Mdluli.

Pretoria - Several new construction projects worth billions are expected to take off in the new financial year, in a bid to improve KwaZulu-Natal health infrastructure.

Pretoria - North West Premier, Thandi Modise, says the changes that she made to her provincial cabinet on Thursday were aimed at strengthening good governance, accelerate service delivery, maintain stability and uproot corruption.

Tzaneen - A rural cooperative is expecting to cash in on the Marula Festival in Limpopo this year, by supplying the marula beer.

Pretoria - The Presidency says it has noted media speculation about the hospital at which former President Nelson Mandela is receiving medical attention.

Pretoria - Public Service and Administration Minister Roy Padayachie is in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Focal Point Select Committee meeting, which kicked off on Friday.

Pretoria - The South African government has reiterated a call by the government of the Maldives for people to remain calm and support government efforts to stabilise the situation following demonstrations and random acts of violence.

Pretoria - At least 96.05% of the 3998 parliamentary questions asked to Cabinet Ministers in 2012 have so far been answered within the stipulated time frame.

Pretoria - Cabinet has expressed serious concern on the reported high-level cases of crime and police officers involved in various criminal activities.

East London - This weekend over a hundred Eastern Cape pupils will take over the province's legislature to participate in an inter-school debate competition.