South Africa

Pretoria - Conference Centres across the country are reporting a high demand this year as local businesses try to squeeze in conferences ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Pretoria - The Department of Trade and Industry has announced that it has transferred the task of authorising Certificates of Origin of the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) to the South African Revenue Services (SARS).

Cape Town - Consumers will from early next year be charged 36 cents less when making cell phone calls, Communications Minister Siphiwe Nyanda announced on Thursday.

Rustenburg - Residents of the rural Seraleng community, just outside Rustenburg in the North West, will now be able to cook food, wash clothes and do other household chores in the evenings after being connected to the country's electricity grid.

Pretoria - Government is looking at integrating its existing call centres to reduce the load on the Presidential Hotline.

Pretoria - A joint effort between the Department of Home Affairs and the South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC) to address bank-related identity fraud will be launched on Tuesday.

Pretoria - The late much-celebrated singer Miriam Makeba and long jump silver medalist Kgotso Mokoena will be among the 29 South Africans and foreign nationals to receive National Orders from President Jacob Zuma next week.

Rustenburg - Minerals and Energy Minister Dipuo Peters on Thursday encouraged the community of Seraleng, just outside Rustenburg in the North West, to actively get involved in projects that would earn themselves an income.

Pretoria - Fresh from his official visit to Nigeria, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe will on Saturday depart for Rome where he is expected to participate in the World Food Summit.

Pretoria - The Limpopo Department of Health and Social Development has announced a rapid decrease in Malaria cases across the province.

Cape Town - Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Jeff Radebe has assured soccer teams and international visitors arriving in South Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup that they will be safe during their stay.

Cape Town - The government plans to introduce reforms to strengthen the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD), the body tasked to look into police abuses, the Secretary of Police Jennifer Irish-Qhobosheane said on Friday.

Cape Town - An innovative new system aimed at speeding up the processing of identity documents (IDs), is currently being implemented at Home Affairs offices around the country.

Polokwane - Limpopo's Department of Local Government and Housing has increased the number of RDP houses it has built from 11 000 in the 2008/2009 financial year to 16 000 this year.

Bushbuckridge - Mpumalanga's MEC for Human Settlements, Madala Masuku, has assured disabled people living in Bushbuckridge that the provincial government will provide them with houses that suit their needs.