South Africa

Cape Town – Education will receive a share of 20% (R254 billion) of government’s consolidated expenditure -- higher than any other sector.

Cape Town - Government spending on health is expected to exceed R492 billion over the next three years, as part of a plan to strengthen the health system, in preparation for the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme.

Cape Town – The state will build 216 000 houses and connect 905 000 households to electricity over the next two years, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said in Parliament on Wednesday.

Pretoria – The Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Lulu Xingwana, says even though progress has been made in certain sectors, the battle for gender equality is far from over.

Pretoria – The bodies of five illegal miners have been discovered at the old Durban mine in Roodeport, opposite Matoleville in the Johannesburg area.

Pretoria - Acting North West Premier Paul Sebegoe has signed a proclamation declaring May 7 as the election date for the North West Provincial Legislature.

Pretoria - Five-time World Cup winners Brazil are scheduled to arrive in South Africa on Monday, 3 March, for their match against the national squad, Bafana Bafana.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has signed a proclamation authorising the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate a multi-million rand tender, which the Department of Communications awarded to Media Corner.

Pretoria - Two men will appear in the Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court today in connection with the attempted murder of a miner at Anglo American Platinum's Khuseleka 1 shaft.

Pretoria - South Africa has the largest private security industry in the world; as a result, the regulation of the industry needs to be strengthened, says Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa.

Pretoria – Government says it has taken note of the recent developments regarding the situation of lesbians, gays, bisexual, transsexual and intersex (LGBTI) persons worldwide.

Pretoria - The Department of Higher Education and Training says it will not tolerate any unconstitutional activities being carried out at any of the country’s tertiary institutions.

Johannesburg - Although the country’s power supply will remain constrained going into the winter months, government -- cognisant of electricity supply disruptions on the economy -- is working together with Eskom to ensure that the lights stay on, Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Tuesday.

Pretoria – Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) has announced that the seasonally adjusted real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at market prices for the fourth quarter of 2013 increased at an annualised rate of 3.8 percent.

Cape Town – Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor says communities should help to safeguard national assets, especially those that aim to empower and educate the nation.