South Africa

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma had a private dinner with members of the Afrikaner community at Mahlamba Ndlopfu, his official residence in Pretoria.

Pretoria - The Department of Basic Education has clarified that although the June school holidays have been extended by seven days to accommodate the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the school year has not been shortened in any way.

Pretoria - Neatly dressed in their new school uniform, millions of children countrywide made their way back to school to start the 2010 academic year.

Pretoria - Reports that the Sedibeng municipality plans to honour President Jacob Zuma's first wife Sizakele Khumalo are false, says the Presidency.

Pretoria - The Ministry for Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities has welcomed the announcement by MultiChoice that the company will not be proceeding with the idea to launch a pornographic channel on DSTV.

Pretoria - The public has been encouraged to comment on the draft Military Veterans Bill, which is expected to honour and recognise the country's veterans.

Pretoria - South Africa's death rate has showed a decline of 1.8 percent from 2007 to 2008, said Statistics South Africa (Stats SA).

Pretoria - The Presidency has sent condolences to the family and friends of anti-apartheid struggle icon Professor Fatima Meer who passed away on Friday.

Pretoria - The Energy Department has set the wheels in motion on one of the biggest audits in the South African liquid fuels industry in a bid to speed up transformation.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma will today visit the Roodepoort Fire Station in Hodgson Street to meet with emergency workers.

Pretoria - Table Mountain in Cape Town is among the world landmarks that will go dark for Earth Hour from 8:30pm to 9:30pm on Saturday, 27 March

Pretoria - The North West Human and Settlement Department has handed over 200 houses to deprived families in Mogwase in the Moses Kotane Municipality.

Pretoria - The 2009 matric results have prompted education analysts to call on the Department of Basic Education and all stakeholders to work together in improving what many have called "a shocking and dismal" pass rate.

Pretoria - The introduction of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system's complementary and feeder routes are going ahead as planned in Soweto this morning, the City of Johannesburg said.

Pretoria - An investigation into the explosion that occurred at the Bloed Street Mall on Tuesday has pointed to liquid petroleum gas (LPG) escaping from the gas line to have caused the incident.