South Africa

Pretoria - The Department of Mineral Resources is currently running final tests to ensure that the new system put in place to process new mining applications is in good working order.

Mafikeng - Communities in the North West have been urged to take care of their museums because they are an important means to attract tourists to the province.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has congratulated the tourism sector on the impressive tourism figures which show that South Africa continues to be an attractive international tourism destination.

Addis Ababa - The African Union (AU) on Monday selected Libya's port city of Sirte to host the organisation's next summit in July.

Harare - A visiting International Monetary Fund (IMF) technical delegation has expressed confidence in Zimbabwe's Short Term Emergency Recovery Plan (STERP), but would like the challenges facing the banking sector to be addressed.

Pretoria - The Pretoria Magistrate's Court was closed on Tuesday when a second fire broke out in a courtroom, according to the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality.

Pretoria - Economists predict the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will announce a 100 basis point cut in the repo rate on Thursday after their two-day meeting.

Pretoria - As the country marks Tuberculosis (TB) Awareness Month, the Ekurhuleni Metr

Johannesburg - Acting National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Head, Advocate Mokotedi Mpshe has called on the judicial system to take stronger action against rapists who continue to terrorise the vulnerable.

Port Elizabeth - Residents living in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality will soon get an opportunity to visit their local stadium earmarked for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, ahead of the event.

Cape Town - Minister of Transport Sibusiso Ndebele has announced that he will voluntarily return the Mercedes Benz S500 and other items he received as a gift from the Vukuzakhe emerging contractors.

Pretoria - Police Minister, Nathi Mthethwa, and his Deputy, Fikile Mbalula, are to launch a crime fighting television programme on Thursday.

Pretoria - Cabinet on Tuesday approved the National Youth Policy (NYP) for 2009-2014.

Vanderbijlpark - Reserve Bank Governor Tito Mboweni will engage with the country's commercial banks on Wednesday to discuss the large difference between its repo rate and their prime lending rate.

Pretoria - The Banking Association of South Africa has confirmed a meeting would take place on Thursday between itself and South African Reserve Bank Governor Tito Mboweni.