South Africa

Pretoria - The South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) is in the process of bolstering its provincial and local structures so as to boost its efficiency.

Pretoria - The South African Medical Association (SAMA) has welcomed the decision by Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane to split the provincial Health Department from the Social Development Department.

Cape Town - South Africa's spending on education continues to grow with Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan today announcing an allocation of R207 billion to the sector with projections that this may rise to up to R236 billion over the next three years.

Pretoria - Police will take steps to improve communication with the public to ensure that communities are updated on the work they are doing.

Cape Town - Government has moved one step further towards the establishment of the massive National Health Insurance scheme for South Africa, with Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan today announcing an allocation of R1 billion to the scheme's pilot projects.

Boksburg - Minister Lulu Xingwana has called for more rigorous effort to be put into leveling the playing field for people with disabilities.

Cape Town - Amid a global economic outlook which continues to remain uncertain, the Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan today presented a circumspect, yet upbeat Budget Speech detailing how the infrastructure projects highlighted by President Jacob Zuma earlier this month would be funded.

Pretoria- Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, Obed Bapela, will meet the Executive Mayor of Johannesburg, Parks Tau, tomorrow, to discuss the ongoing billing challenges experienced by the city.

Cape Town - As government finds ways to grow an economy that may eventually produce much needed jobs, spending on social assistance will rise sharply in the next three years from R111.2 billion this year to a projected R129 billion in 2015.

Cape Town - The government plans to speed up the expansion of the country's mega infrastructure programme by continuously increasing the budgets for rail transport, energy and communications services.

Pretoria- The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, has gazetted the Phase II Draft Financial Services Sector Code in terms of Section 9 (5) of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Act 53 of 2003.

Cape Town - The next time you visit your favourite watering hole - be prepared to spend a little more on a glass of beer, wine and spirits.

Pretoria- The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, has told parliamentarians that manufacturing in South Africa remains seriously affected by the economic crises.

Cape Town - The Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan outlined a range of measures to boost the planning and monitoring capacity in departments and municipalities to ensure they carried out infrastructure projects and allocated the necessary spending on these projects wisely.

Springs - Traffic officials will be out in full force across the country to ensure that the high accident rate normally associated with the Easter long Weekend is minimised.