South Africa

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has extended his good wishes to all Grade 12 learners in the country who will begin writing their examinations this morning.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has learnt with regret of the sad passing of the Queen Mother of amaXhosa, Queen Nondwe Sigcawu, who passed away at the Nqandu Royal Palace in the Eastern Cape last night.

Pretoria - The Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies will today officially open the South African Expos 2012 in Beijing, China where 68 local companies from different sectors are participating with a view to expanding their exports to that country.

Pretoria - The assertions in an article published by the UK magazine the Economist on 20 October (Sad South Africa - Cry the Beloved Country) are misleading, says the Presidency.

Pretoria - Bafana Bafana will dedicate the 2013 African Cup of Nations (Afcon) to their late assistant coach Thomas Madigage, who passed away in a car accident in the early hours of Friday, 19 October.

Pretoria - North West Premier Thandi Modise has called on the matric class of 2012 to remain focused at the task at hand ahead of the start of the exams on Monday.

Pretoria - About 165 inmates from across the country showed off their musical talents on Friday at the country's first National Offender Jazz Festival at the Grootvlei Correctional Centre in the Free State.

Pretoria - Government will contribute R844 billion of the R1.3 trillion needed for the presidential infrastructure projects over the next three years, it was confirmed on Friday.

Alexandra - The youth of Alexandra, Johannesburg received quite the pep talk on Friday, when Deputy Minister for Performance, Monitoring and Evaluation Obed Bapela and the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) visited the area.

Johannesburg - Government will require the support of investors to realise the speedy implementation of South Africa's proposed mega infrastructure programme, says President Jacob Zuma.

Johannesburg - The 2013 African Cup of Nations (Afcon) will be used as another aftermath that will be hailed by all as a huge success like the 2010 FIFA World Cup, says Local Organising Committee chairman Chief Mwelo Nonkonyane.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma and Transport Minister Ben Martins have conveyed condolences to the family of Bafana Bafana assistant coach Thomas Madigage.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma wishes to convey his deepest condolences to the Isaacs family and friends on the sad passing of Professor Sedick Isaacs, who passed away in a Cape Town hospital on Thursday afternoon.

Pretoria - South Africa's prospects for growth and development will depend increasingly on diversifying and strengthening of economic links with countries in the south, said Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies.

Pretoria - Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies will today lead 68 companies to the South African Expos in China which seeks to expand the basket of export products to the Asian nation.