South Africa

Cape Town - A Presidential Committee has been given 12 months to conclude a review on the effectiveness of state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

Pretoria - Health stakeholders have commended government's commitment to improve the country's health care system through initiatives announced by President Jacob Zuma during the State of the Nation Address.

Pretoria - Business stands ready to work with government in tackling joblessness.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma's announcement of a R9 billion fund for job creation over a period of three years has received the thumbs-up from the private sector and the general public.

Durban - South African international star Steven Pienaar has completed his reported 3million pounds move from Everton to Tottenham Hotspur, ending weeks of speculation about his future.

Pretoria - Except for minor concerns from the State of the National Address delivered by President Jacob Zuma, the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) has welcomed government's commitment to education.

Pretoria - The Mpumalanga provincial government has appointed a task team to look into the disruption of water services that had plagued the small municipality of Emalahleni in recent months.

Pretoria - The United Nations Security Council has welcomed the conclusion of voting in the referendum for the self-determination of Southern Sudan, describing the voting exercise as "largely peaceful and orderly."

Durban - The Proteas raced to an eight-wicket victory against Zimbabwe in a warm-up game ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup, which also saw the return of Jacques Kallis and the debut of Imran Tahir.

Pretoria - Forces loyal to the former president of Cote d'Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo - who refuses to step down despite his electoral defeat - have opened fire towards UN peacekeepers in a new "act of aggression," according to the UN envoy on the ground there.

Durban - The KwaZulu-Natal Education Department has spent the past two days seeking solutions to a series of challenges at the 2011 KZN Education Summit.

Pretoria - Hundreds of houses, private property and classrooms have been damaged by heavy rains in Limpopo.

Cape Town - Western Cape MEC for Social Development Patricia De Lille has stepped in to assist hundreds of residents whose homes were ravaged by fire in Hout Bay's Imizamo Yethu Informal settlement.

Pretoria - Paul Treu's Sevens team gave its supporters a scare before reaching the semi-finals at the Commonwealth Games.

Cape Town - President Jacob Zuma has handed over 44 houses in Cape Town's District Six in an on-going process to give dignified housing for victims of apartheid's forced removals.