South Africa

Cape Town - MPs today praised Team South Africa's Paralympians and thanked them for inspiring South Africans, while paying tribute to swimmer Natalie du Toit.

Musina - The Limpopo provincial government will invest more than R2 million towards the completion of the Mapungubwe Museum and Interpretation Centre.

Pretoria - The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has set a target of establishing 15 000 smallholder producers, with a particular focus on women.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma says the courage and fighting spirit displayed by struggle veteran and former SABC boss, Zwelakhe Sisulu, should be used as inspiration in the battle against the triple challenge of poverty, inequality and unemployment.

Pretoria - National Treasury says it has noted Standard and Poor's (S&P) decision to downgrade South Africa's long term foreign currency credit rating to BBB from BBB+ and the long term local currency credit rating to A- from A.

Pretoria - Crime Line has welcomed the launch of the South African Police Service's 'Operation Duty Calls' festive season campaign and has pledged to continue providing the public with a 100% anonymous and safe service to blow the whistle on crime.

Pretoria - Tourist arrivals to South Africa grew by 10.5% for the first six months of 2012, more than double the global average of 5% for the same period.

Pretoria - The Marikana Commission of Inquiry has appointed Advocate Phuti Setati as the secretary of the commission.

Pretoria - Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille has sent condolences to the family of the man who was killed on Saturday evening after a charter boat capsized offshore near Hout Bay on a popular sight-seeing trip.

Cape Town - Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies has warned micro-lenders involved in illegal activities that the National Credit Regulator (NCR) will bring them to book, after the regulator uncovered widespread abuse by at least 10 micro-lenders in Marikana.

Johannesburg - Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba is pleased that the strike in the transport sector has come to an end, but has expressed concern at current industrial action at certain coal mines.

Johannesburg - South Africa's electricity supply is expected to remain tight in summer as Eskom - which will soon submit its next tariff application to the energy regulator - moves to do more maintenance on its plants.

Pretoria - Train services have been suspended on the Mabopane and Koedoespoort Metrorial route, Metrorail CEO Mosenngwa Mofi announced on Friday.

Pretoria - Bafana Bafana have completed their preparations ahead of their friendly international match against Poland to be played in the capital Warsaw later this evening.

Pretoria - A wage deal to end the three-week truck drivers' strike has been signed.