South Africa

Pretoria - Over two million passengers will have to find alternative transport today as a massive strike by Metrorail workers kicked-off countrywide.

Nelspruit - Bafana Bafana equalled their biggest margin of victory ever when they thumped Thailand 4-nil in a World Cup warm-up match at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Sunday.

Kimberley - Former Bafana Bafana stars Lucas Radebe and Doctor Khumalo were among the people honored by the South African Football Association on Wednesday night for their contribution to the development of sport in Africa.

Pretoria - The OneLove campaign that aims to reduce new HIV infections by 10 percent by 2011 will be targeting Multiple Concurrent Partners (MCP)

Pretoria - The achievement of the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will be in the spotlight during the 63rd World Health Assembly meeting to be held in Geneva.

Pretoria - In less than 24 days South Africa will host the first African World Cup which is not only expected to bring in tourists in their numbers but also create a lasting legacy.

Pretoria - This year's national Freedom Day celebrations will be held at the Union Buildings, Cabinet announced on Thursday.

Nelspruit - Having delivered three new public libraries to the Mpumalanga public in the last financial year, the Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation has budgeted R25-million to add another four new libraries by March 2011.

Pretoria - Mediation by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) into the Transnet and unions pay dispute has failed, the transport parastatal said on Monday

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma will on Sunday launch the roll-out of government's new and up-scaled HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment plan, Cabinet announced on Thursday.

Pretoria - In an effort to have a resource efficient and sustainable economy, government and various stakeholders will gather in Johannesburg this week for the Green Economy Summit.

Johannesburg - The Sandton City centre was brought to a virtual standstill as thousands of police officers, soldiers, emergency personal and security agencies paraded on the streets in a massive show force to prove their readiness for the FIFA World Cup.

Free State - The provincial Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) handed over 5 000 letters written in support of the national soccer squad, Bafana Bafana, for the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup to provincial Safa officials

Pretoria - With less than 50 days to go to before the kick-off of the biggest soccer spectacle, Cabinet says the recent ticket frenzy was an indication that the country is ready and excited to host the World Cup.

A massive skills drive will be required to empower poorly educated rural farmers and those involved in cooperatives. To drive this, government has set aside billions of rands over the medium term to speed up the process, writes Chris Bathembu.