South Africa

Pretoria - The State Security Ministry has denied reports of a plot to destabilise the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa).

Pretoria - In an effort to strengthen bilateral relations and trade ties, South Africa and China have signed a number of strategic agreements.

Pretoria - The Department of Justice and Correctional Services says it will study and respond to the petition from a group calling itself "Justice for Anni" from London.

Pretoria - Acting President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on South Africans to honour the memory of former late President Nelson Mandela on Friday.

Pretoria – The Department of Labour has held a seminar on the importance of facilities holding hazardous chemical substances in large quantities.

Johannesburg - Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says the education sector has over the last two years proved to have made substantial strides in the foundation and intermediate phase in both literacy and numeracy.

Pretoria - A total of 5.32 million income tax returns were submitted in the 2014 tax season, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) said on Thursday.

Pretoria - Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor says government remains the largest funder of research and development in the country, while the business sector remains the largest performer thereof.

Pretoria - Government says the negative media reporting on South Africa's ranking in an international corruption perception survey is feeding into a pessimistic outlook that will only damage the national psyche and prospects for economic growth.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are set to meet on Thursday, where efforts to create jobs, fight poverty and end inequality will take centre stage.

Pretoria - Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane will on Friday hand over a R35-million water treatment works project to the community of Hopetown in the Northern Cape.

Pretoria – The Department of Higher Education and Training is expanding Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges as institutions of choice by building more campuses in the country.

Cape Town – The Deputy Minister of Social Development, Henrietta Bogopane-Zulu, has announced that government, in partnership with Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), will soon launch a census dedicated to verifying how many people with disabilities there are in South Africa.

Pretoria - Acting President Cyril Ramaphosa has conveyed his condolences to the Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba following the death of his father Reverend Jabulani Thomas Gigaba.

Pretoria - Business confidence grew to 90.8 in November 2014 from 88.8 points in October, the South African Chamber of Commerce (Sacci).