South Africa

Pretoria - Government has expressed concern that investment by the private sector in new power generation capacity has not happened as it should.

Cape Town - Government plans to set aside R1 billion to help youth in South Africa set up employment creation projects in the next financial year.

Cape Town - An extra R100 million has been allocated to the Department of Health to help fight HIV and Aids while provinces are to get more funding to help build new schools, says the Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan.

Cape Town - The worst of the recession is over with real growth in the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expected to come in at 3 percent this year, after reaching 3.9 percent in the first half of the year.

Durban - The KwaZulu-Natal Education Department will distribute more study guides in a bid to assist matric learners prepare for their final exams, following the disruptions caused by the public servants' strike.

Maputo - Life has begun to return to normal in Mozambique after serious rioting hit the cities of Maputo and Matola recently.

Mbombela - The first three days of matric exams have gone off smoothly in Mpumalanga, with no reports of exam papers being leaked.

Pretoria - The public participation process with regard to the country's long-term electricity capacity plan has been delayed for a few weeks,

Pretoria - Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) and trade union federation COSATU have both came out in support of government's new economic growth path, adding that they will wait for more details of the plan.

Pretoria - The Correctional Services Department says it will conduct an audit of all inmates sentenced to life before 1 October 2004 for possible consideration for parole.

Pretoria - Although the outbreak of rabies in some areas mostly in the south of Johannesburg is under control, the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development says it is continuing with a campaign to vaccinate pets.

Pretoria - The Gauteng Department of Local Government and Housing has threatened to evict people who bought houses built on government and privately owned land in Lenasia.

Rustenburg - The North West province has succeeded in employing 630 healthcare professionals in vacant posts between April and August this year.

Pretoria - The 17th World Festival of Youth and Students to be held in December will bring tremendous benefits to the youth of South Africa, says the National Youth Development Agency.

Pretoria - An amount of R28 million has been approved to partially fund internet access networks for rural higher education campuses.