South Africa

Nelspruit - A senior citizens' parliament will be held in Mpumalanga on Friday to encourage the elderly to be part of the governance process.

Durban - Top South African celebrities will be amongst the at least 13 000 runners who will put their stamina to the test on Sunday when they take to the gruelling stretch of road between Pietermaritzburg and Durban in the Comrades Marathon.

Pretoria - Defence Minister Charles Nqakula on Wednesday called on all countries affiliated to the Non-Aligned Movement to commit to achieving international peace, stability and security.

Pretoria - The South African Government has called on the authorities in Myanmar to release the Leader of the National League for Democracy and Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

Johannesburg - Power utility Eskom has signed a R6.1billion loan agreement with seven European banks.

Paris - A South African government delegation is currently participating in the 35th UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) conference that is set to come up with an international educational programme for the next two years.

Durban - Residents living in the eThekwini area, who have eye problems and no money to visit a specialist, will today get an opportunity to test their eyes free of charge.

Krugersdorp - The Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa, has launched "When Duty Calls" - a new crime-fighting television programme.

Pretoria - The Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) department has published the Municipal Systems Amendment Act Draft Regulations on the appointment and conditions of employment of senior managers in municipalities for comment.

Pretoria - A scheduled power outage on Sunday will not disrupt services at the Chris Baragwanath Hospital, said the Gauteng Department of Health.

Durban - Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) investigators have asked the public for help in their efforts to piece together the cause of the SA Airlink plane crash at a school ground in Merebank.

Pretoria - It will not come as a surprise if the Department of Home Affairs is rated as one of the most improved government departments in terms of financial management.

Pretoria - The coverage of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) will be increased in the Free State in an effort to reduce maternal mortality.

Pretoria - Drunk drivers and motorists who don't obey traffic rules have been warned: there will be more traffic police visibility in all the country's national road network starting from this coming Easter long weekend.

Polokwane - Limpopo's Agriculture Department will spend part of its R1.4 billion budget to create jobs through their revamped tea estates.