South Africa

Johannesburg -The Gauteng Provincial Government is expected to demand a high standard of performance from all its service providers.

Cape Town - Football governing body, FIFA, presented the Confederations Cup trophy to President Jacob Zuma in Parliament on Tuesday.

Johannesburg - Metrobus has resumed services in Johannesburg after a recent strike by bus drivers over a salary dispute.

Johannesburg - The new Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (DPCI) has sent a stern warning to criminals that it's ready to "crush the backbone of organised crime" without favour when it becomes operational on 1 July.

Pretoria - The Department of Education has extended the registration date for supplementary examinations for 2008 matric learners who failed two or more subjects or like to improve their marks.

Cape Town - A survey by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) has revealed that South Africa's HIV/AIDS epidemic has stabilised and there are signs of a declining prevalence among children and teenagers.

Pretoria - South Africa's preparations are in overdrive for the 500 Days Countdown, which will kick off next week Monday, for the world's biggest sporting spectacle, the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Pretoria - Johannesburg is gearing for the major crowds expected at its nine public viewing sites for the FIFA Confederations Cup opener on Sunday.

Pretoria - Learners who wrote matric last year under the new curriculum and want to improve on their marks on any subjects or rewrite subjects they failed have until 21 January to register to do so.

Johannesburg - The South African Police Services has assured soccer fans that they need not fear for their safety, when they are in the country for the FIFA Confederations Cup.

Cape Town - The failure by schools and circuits in some provinces to submit learners' year marks, irregularities and a possible computer system failure could have caused the delay in the release of all of the matric results on 30 December 2008.

Pretoria -The South African Police Services (SAPS) is on a nationwide recruitment drive to increase the number of police officials to 190 000 ahead of the 2009 Confederations Cup and 2010 FIFA World Cup.

East London - Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe has called for a fresh impetus from municipalities in ensuring the delivery of clean water, decent shelter, proper sanitation and sustainable livelihoods in urban and rural areas.

Pretoria - The South African government and the Local Organising Committee will on Tuesday launch the 2010 Mass Participation Programme to drum up support for the 2010 FIFA World Cup to be held in 503 days.

Pretoria - Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica and Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moller on Friday signed a Declaration of Intent with a view to using wind energy as a renewable energy source in the country.