South Africa

Six heavily armed men allegedly robbed a South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) pay point of an undisclosed amount of cash in Seplan near Cala in the Eastern Cape.

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) says following the pronouncement by the President to increase the threshold for financial aid, it will work with public institutions of higher learning to assist learners who missed the initial application window of 30 November 2017.

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) says it is happy with being retained as the administrator of financial aid for poor and working-class South African students.

Researchers at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) have found exotic micro-mineral compounds in the ‘Hypatia’ stone that are not known to occur on Earth, elsewhere in the solar system or in known meteorites or comets.

Police Minister Fikile Mbalula has condemned the violent acts that took place in Rustenburg when a group of people went on the rampage, burning buildings in the area.

The Gauteng Department of Health has invited members of the public to nominate their new community representatives to serve on Primary Health Care Facility Committees.

The Rustenburg Local Municipality has called on taxi operators, community members and all stakeholders involved in the mob justice in the CBD to stop the violence and report all incidents to the police.

President Jacob Zuma will later today hold talks with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta in Durban.

The Department of Military Veterans has provided education support to over 7 000 military veterans and their dependants in 2017.

Home Affairs Director General Mkuseli Apleni says talks with National Treasury for the approval of a public-private partnership, which could see more bank outlets issuing smart IDs and passports, are at an advanced stage.

As the country’s institutions of higher learning and training shift into gear for the 2018 academic year, thousands of prospective students seeking placement are turning to the Central Applications Clearing House (CACH).

Home Affairs Director General Mkuseli Apleni has called on the public to ignore a hoax doing the rounds on social media, which claims that the green-barcoded ID will be discontinued come 31 March 2018.

An independent board of inquiry will be established to investigate the circumstances that led to the collision of a Shosholoza Meyl train and the trailer of an articulated truck in the Free State earlier this month.

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will lead the South African delegation to the 48th World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting from 23 - 26 January in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.

Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi has reiterated government’s commitment to provide reliable, cost effective, efficient, safe and modernised transport services following a train accident that happened at the Geldenhuis station, east of Johannesburg.