South Africa

Durban - South Africa today announced plans to phase out all incandescent light bulbs and replace them with energy efficient ones by 2016.

Pretoria - Gauteng MEC for Community Safety Faith Mazibuko today warned motorists and pedestrians that lawlessness on the province's roads during the festive season would not be tolerated.

Pretoria - Communities under the Zululand District will from Friday no longer have to travel long distances to receive healthcare services.

Cape Town - The commission set up to investigate the arms deal will be able to subpoena witnesses - including cabinet ministers - and have the power of search and seizure, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Jeff Radebe revealed today.

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.