South Africa

Pretoria - The Gauteng Education Department is to hold an education summit to address ongoing instability and underperformance in Soweto schools.

Pretoria - Government will step up its efforts to ensure increased participation of women in South Africa's economy.

Cape Town - Government has met a group of gay and lesbian activists, who are lobbying for "corrective rape" to be labeled a hate crime.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma says government will continue to work with its social partners at Nedlac, business, labour and the community sector to promote the National Development Plan (NDP).

Pretoria - Schabir Shaik has been re-incarcerated at a KwaZulu-Natal prison, the Department of Correctional Services has confirmed.

Pretoria – Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson today met with CEOs from the fishing industry and other senior officials from the department to pave the way for strengthened future cooperation between government and industry.

Pretoria - A Gauteng motorist who was caught travelling at 216 km/h in a 120km/h zone has been given a whopping R40 000 fine and his driving licence has been suspended for six months.

Pretoria - International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane has arrived in Egypt ahead of the two-day XV NAM Ministerial Meeting scheduled to take place at Sharm El Sheikh from Monday.

Johannesburg - To meet the ambitious target of growing the economy by seven percent per annum, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan says the country should redefine its economic transformation strategy.

Pretoria - Contrary to media reports, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development says there is no intention to shut down Equality Courts.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma announced the appointment of 17 judges to various courts across the country on Wednesday.

Pretoria - The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) will today decide on the objections made against nominated candidates of political parties that will contest the 2009 General Elections.

Pretoria - North West MEC for Public Safety Howard Yawa has cautioned against the "inclusion" of criminals in Community Policing Forums (CPFs).

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma is due to have his first meeting of the year with premiers and the South African Local Government Association (Salga) later this month.

Pretoria - The African Union High Level Panel on Darfur (AUPD) has dismissed media reports claiming former President Thabo Mbeki has called on the three Sudanese personalities, including President Omer Hassan Al-Bashir to present themselves before the International Criminal Court to stand trial.