South Africa

Pretoria - Children starting school and starting at new schools anxiously walked to school accompanied by their parents this morning as inland schools reopened.

Cape Town - Government is to ensure that stiffer sentences for rapists and murderers are implemented.

Pretoria - The Ministry of Finance is once again inviting all South Africans to send their tips to the country's Finance Minister on what they would like to see included in the country's Budget, to be delivered next month.

Cape Town - The interim appointed Chief Executive Officer of Robben Island, Professor Henry Bredekamp, is working hard to ensure the smooth running of the museum.

Pretoria - FIFA President Sepp Blatter is confident that Bafana Bafana will fair well in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, judging on its current performance in the FIFA Confederations Cup.

North West - The North West provincial government, in partnership with the Kgetleng River Local Municipality will hold a mass service on Sunday in Skierlik, to remember the victims of the shootings which rocked the small community exactly a year ago today.

Mafikeng - Learners at one of the best performing schools in the North West, the St Mary's High School, were excited this morning to begin the 2009 academic year and hope to maintain the 100 percent pass rate received at the school last year.

Pretoria - Firearm owners, whose birthdays fall between 1 October and 31 December, are urged by the South African Police Service (SAPS) to renew their firearm licences, permits and authorisations by 31 March 2009 in terms of the Firearms Control legislation.

Johannesburg - As the date for the country's national elections draws closer, the City of Johannesburg says it is ready for the task, and will ensure operations on the day goes off smoothly.

Economists agree that as the global recession takes hold and economic growth comes under threat, interest rates are set to drop spurring a revival in South Africa's property market by early 2010, writes Michael Appel.

Durban - Durban's Mayor Obed Mlaba has pledged his support for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Earth Hour 2009 campaign, a global initiative to raise awareness around energy and the effects of climate change.

Pretoria - The department of health says the confirmed case of H1N1 influenza in the country does not present any danger to the Confederations Cup currently underway.

Parliament - A condolence book has been opened for parliamentarians and members of the public to sign and write their messages of sympathy to the family of the late Helen Suzman.

Pretoria - Government has developed a framework outlining specific measures local government can take to include people with disabilities into its workforce so they can actively participate in service delivery.

Pretoria - Limpopo Department of Health spokesperson Phuthi Seloba has confirmed 52 new cases of cholera in the province.