South Africa

Pretoria - National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) President Andile Lungisa has been elected President of the Pan-African Youth Union (PYU).

Durban - Government says the amendments to the country's Preferential Procurement Policy Act will boost local entrepreneurs, while creating much needed jobs in the private sector.

Pretoria - Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has conceded that the quality of services offered by the public health care system needs to be urgently addressed if the National Health Insurance (NHI) is to succeed.

Pretoria - Cabinet has approved the merger of key small business development agencies under the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) umbrella.

Mbombela - The 17 bodies of Mozambican nationals who died in a horror crash in Belfast, Mpumalanga, will be transported to their home country next week.

Durban - Top politicians from several countries joined civil society leaders on Monday in the call for more innovative sources of finance to address climate change, including a tax on maritime shipping, to be part of the deal in Durban.

Durban - Women face disproportionately high risks to their livelihoods and health from climate change, according to a new report released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Pretoria - More than 200 drivers have been arrested over the past week as the December holiday law enforcement operations on the country's roads intensify.

Durban - Climate-smart agriculture offers a "triple win" for food security, adaptation, and mitigation, President Jacob Zuma and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said on Wednesday.

Pretoria - Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale as well as the former Director-General for the Department of Minerals and Energy, Sandile Nogxina, had not contravened any South African law concerning the United Nations' Iraqi Oil-for-Food Programme.

Pretoria - Government has called on beneficiaries of its Human Settlements programme to desist from selling their government-subsidised RDP houses.

Pretoria - Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe will mark the closing of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign by handing over houses to vulnerable groups in Ermelo.

Pretoria - The Free State Provincial Government has refuted media reports that some provincial departments have been place under administration.

Durban - The development of renewable energy in South Africa is to receive a boost after government joined forces with the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, Norway and the European Investment Bank (EIB).

Pretoria - The Energy Department has released its first list of preferred Independent Power Producers (IPPs) which will contribute to the country's energy mix.