South Africa

Durban - The 5th annual SITA GovTech Conference opened on Monday with a strong call for South Africans to get better access to Information Communication Technology (ICT).

Pretoria - The Department of International Relations and Cooperation and its Minister have met their obligations to Parliament and the Portfolio Committee, said the department on Monday.

Pretoria - Former Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Langa Zita, has been appointed Director General in the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

Pretoria - National Book Week, which kicked off on Monday, is expected to encourage reading nationally among children, youth and adults.

Pretoria - Police Commissioner General Bheki Cele has refuted media reports that suggested he had lied in Parliament about the resignation of three generals and his involvement in the rental of two buildings.

Pretoria - Economists predict the South African Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is likely to announce a 50 basis point cut in the repo rate, when it meets this week.

Pretoria - Freedom Park has announced that it has dismissed its head of department for heritage and knowledge following a pre-dismissal arbitration hearing at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).

Pretoria - A massive gum tree, measuring more than 38 metres from side to side, is to become the latest edition to South Africa's list of Champion Trees.

Pretoria – The Department of Home Affairs will from 4 March stop issuing abridged birth certificates and will only issue unabridged birth certificates to parents of new born babies.

Pretoria - About 57 rhinos have been killed this year by poachers in South Africa, with 42 of these being in the Kruger National Park (KNP).

Pretoria - Government officials wishing to classify information under the proposed Protection of Information Bill will have to adhere to strict guidelines and need a clear and justifiable reason to do so.

Pretoria – The death of four babies at the George Masebe Hospital in Limpopo was not due to a shortage of doctors at the hospital, but a shortage of personnel on duty at the time of the deaths.

Pretoria - Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan's Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) has been welcomed by some economists and business, who said there were a lot of positives to be taken from it.

Pretoria - Services at hospitals and clinics across the country have resumed with nurses on Tuesday returning to work following the suspension of the public service strike.

Pretoria - Fire fighters were battling to bring under control a fire at the Pretoria Magistrate's Court. The blaze destroyed parts of the building on Wednesday afternoon.