South Africa

Umzimkhulu - Residents of a small KwaZulu-Natal village will get an opportunity to discuss their challenges with the country's first citizen today.

Pretoria - The provision of bulk infrastructure remains one of the major challenges in delivering houses in rural areas, says Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale.

Cape Town - A new agency, which will provide training and support to co-operatives, is to help raise the survival rate of co-operatives and in so doing enable them to create thousands of jobs, the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Elizabeth Thabethe said today.

Skukuza - Four of the 13 municipalities nationwide that received clean audits from the Auditor General for the 2010/2011 financial year are based in Mpumalanga.

Washington DC - South Africa's multi-sectoral approach and the partnership between government and civil society in the fight against HIV and Aids has helped the country turn the tide against the pandemic, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe said during a panel discussion at the 19th International AIDS Conference on Monday.

Johannesburg - A team of professionals will now be stationed at four Gauteng hospitals, where they will be responsible for maintenance of all equipment, Gauteng MEC for Infrastructure Development, Qedani Mahlangu announced on Wednesday.

Pretoria - Tshwane Metro Police Chief, Steven Ngobeni, has condemned the killing of Sergeant Reuben Oupa Dibakwane, describing it as a barbaric and cowardly act.

Mzimkhulu - President Jacob Zuma, visibly tired from his recent trips abroad but saying he was heartened by the "wonderful spirit" and welcome he always receives from people on the ground, retuned his focus on rural areas on Tuesday, when he launched his Presidential Service Delivery Monitoring Programme in KwaZulu-Natal.

Cape Town - The Department of Trade and Industry has so far received 60 applications for cost-sharing grants to help roll out small business incubation programmes, since the launch of the Incubation Support Programme (ISP) in September.

Pretoria - Gauteng MEC for Economic Development Nkosiphendule Kolisile on Wednesday encouraged communities to grab the economic opportunities that government is presenting to them.

Pretoria - International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane will today welcome her Argentine counterpart, Foreign Relations, International Trade Minister, Hector Timerman.

East London - Eastern Cape Premier Noxolo Kiviet has conceded that her provincial government's campaign to significantly reduce corruption in the province has seen challenges.

Johannesburg - Gauteng will work hard to ensure better audit comes in the future, Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane said on Tuesday.

Pretoria - Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs Rejoice Mabudafhasi has urged the community of Mopani district in Limpopo to continue to make a difference in other people's lives and make every day a Mandela Day.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has appointed new members of the Brand SA Board of Trustees to help strengthen the South African brand identity locally and abroad.