South Africa

Johannesburg - Despite the current global economic meltdown, the Gautrain project has created and sustained 63 000 jobs.

Pretoria - The Department of Trade and Industry is to embark on a consumer protection awareness campaign countrywide, next week.

Pretoria - There are 23 million South Africans registered to vote in the provincial and general elections set for 22 April 2009.

Vosloorus - Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya has appealed to social workers not to leave the country in search of better paying jobs abroad, saying skilled social workers were in short supply locally.

Pretoria - Two of Gauteng's most popular radio personalities were taken hostage on Tuesday in a police and defence force simulation of security threats to the Confederations Cup and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Johannesburg - A specialised team has been deployed in Ekurhuleni to assist the metropolitan municipality accelerate the provision of services, infrastructure development and to deal with outstanding disputes.

Pretoria - The arrival of newly appointed ambassadors and high commissioners is expected to advance relations between their respective countries and South Africa.

Durban - The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality has assured the residents of Durban that there is no outbreak of meningitis in the city.

Pretoria - President Kgalema Motlanthe has joined leaders of the African Union (AU) in expressing regret at the resignation of Madagascar's President Marc Ravalomanana and the handing over of power to the Military Directorate.

Pretoria - An investigation by the Health Department has discovered a bogus syndicate that successfully request services from several companies under the fraudulent banner of the department.

Pretoria - The City of Ekurhuleni has committed to helping with the transportation of the body and burial of the late Mozambican national and taxi driver, Mido Macia.

Pretoria – The South African Police Service (SAPS) management is currently redirecting stockpiles of sexual assault kits from regions where there is an oversupply to where shortages are being experienced at police stations.

Polokwane - More than 60 roads with potholes roads in Limpopo are expected to be repaired by the end of this week.

Johannesburg - South Africa is ranked 45th out of 134 countries in the World Economic Forum's (WEF) recently released Global Competitiveness Index for 2009/10.

Pretoria - The International Trade Unions Confederation (ITUC) has asked President Jacob Zuma to ensure that issues affecting workers were part of the agenda in the UN High Level Panel on Global Stability, COP 17 and the G20.