South Africa

Pretoria - Excitement is growing around the country as preparations to mark Madiba's 91st birthday on Saturday nears finalisation.

Egypt - President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday urged members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to work out a practical new strategy in line with the changing financial situation and make concerted efforts to overcome the global crisis.

Pretoria - Ministers of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) responsible for population and development will meet in Johannesburg on Thursday to review the implementation of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICDP) Programme of Action.

Pretoria - The Public Works Department wants all its employees, especially those in lower levels, to be brought up to date with technology.

Johannesburg - Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Sicelo Shiceka, has made a call to all provincial and local government departments to achieve clean audit reports by 2014.

Pretoria - Public Service and Administration Minister Richard Baloyi has urged all parties in the public service to commit to rules of engagement during labour negotiation processes.

Rustenburg - North West MEC for Health and Social Development Rebecca Kasienyane has urged private health practitioners to support the department in its effort to improve and sustain the health and social conditions of people.

Pretoria - Economists have predicted that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will announce a 100 basis point cut at the least in the repo rate on Tuesday after their two-day meeting.

Pretoria - A mining road show to inform investors that South Africa is open for investment has been a success, Mining Minister Susan Shabangu said on Tuesday.

Pretoria - Chief Executive Officer of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) Fezile Makiwane has been given special leave pending the outcomes of an investigation into alleged irregularities.

Johannesburg - The Bombela Concession Company has awarded the contract to supply 125 buses for Gautrain's dedicated bus feeder fleet to Mercedes-Benz South Africa.

Pretoria - The Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has kept the repo rate unchanged at 5%, Reserve Bank Governor Gill Marcus said on Wednesday.

Johannesburg - Electricity utility Eskom is calling on all South Africans to participate in the worldwide climate change awareness programme by switching off the nation's lights for an hour during the evening of 28 March.

Pretoria - Employees of the Department of Education had to be evacuated on Thursday after a fire broke out at the Sol Platjie building.

Johannesburg - Mandela Day celebrations in Gauteng got off to a start on Thursday with City of Joburg staff planting a "Mandela tree" a stones throw away from the former President's home in Houghton.