South Africa

Pretoria - Electricity parastatal Eskom has expressed concern at rating agency Standard &Poor's announcement to downgrade its credit rating by one notch.

Malalane - A storm that tore through Mpumalanga on Tuesday night has left one child dead and eight villagers severely injured in hospital, while about 100 households have been displaced.

Cape Town - The government's massive scaling up of its anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment programme is beginning to show results, with a new report showing that South Africa's life expectancy has increased by over three years in the last two years.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma will hold a meeting with social partners today as South Africa joins the world in marking the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

Pretoria - South Africa and Indonesia have agreed to enhance bilateral relations and will conduct a joint study to explore trade opportunities, says Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies.

Pretoria - Correctional Services National Commissioner Tom Moyane says he is confident the department will achieve improved financial management.

Pretoria - Western Cape Education MEC Donald Grant says plans are in place for 2013 to accommodate learners who are currently in schools that will close down.

Pretoria - Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa is expected to address an international summit on transnational crime in Switzerland on Thursday.

Johannesburg - Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba on Monday announced that a task team has been set up to come up with a turnaround strategy for the state owned airline, South African Airways (SAA).

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has congratulated Reserve Bank Governor Gill Marcus for being named as the 2012 Emerging Markets Central Bank Governor for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Ngobi - When President Jacob Zuma visited Ngobi village earlier this year, Martha Makhubela was sharing a one-room tin shack with her siblings. Four months later, the family now owns a five-room, fully furnished house.

Pretoria - The Presidency on Tuesday said it had not received a request from Western Cape Premier Helen Zille regarding her wish to undertake a debate with President Jacob Zuma on the state of the economy

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has congratulated the communications sector in the country on its achievements at the 25th Universal Postal Congress, held in Doha, Qatar.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has congratulated the South African tourism sector following news that South Africa has increased its tourism figures.

Pretoria - Government has expressed shock at the regrettable shooting that occurred outside Ntuzuma Magistrate's Court on Monday and condemns the use of violence in solving any form of conflict.