South Africa

Cape Town - Cabinet has congratulated the three South African athletes who clinched medals at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in Berlin, Germany.

Daveyton – Vigorous training on professionalism, counselling and a crime summit -- these are just some of the recommendations forwarded by the Daveyton community to Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa during his visit to the area on Thursday.

Parliament - The Portfolio Committee on Communications is to hold public hearings as soon as next month to have mobile operators bring down their "excessive and exorbitant" interconnection rates as soon as next month.

Johannesburg - The independence of parole boards has come under scrutiny at a two-day Correctional Services Summit.

Cape Town - Finance Minister Pravin Gorhan on Wednesday tabled the Provincial Budget and Expenditure Review for 2009.

Cape Town – South Africa is looking at the possibility of sending medical students to other parts of the world to receive training.

Cape Town - Minister of Mineral Resources Susan Shabangu says government is taking strong action to combat illegal mining and criminal syndicates are feeling the heat.

Boksburg – President Jacob Zuma has commended Community Development Workers (CDWs) for the manner in which they execute their duties to help government provide services at grassroots level.

Pretoria - Cabinet had some strong words for people who commit violent acts in the name of protesting, indicating its growing impatience with law-breakers.

Cabinet re-affirmed its commitment to implement the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system in partnership with all the stakeholders, particularly the taxi industry. The BRT initiative is aimed at improving and changing the way commuters can travel in our major cities. Improving public transport for South Africans is not negotiable as it has the potential to improve the quality of life of our citizens and to increase productivity across the board.

Cape Town - MEC for Education in the Western Cape, Donald Grant, has condemned the stabbing of two learners at Arcadia Secondary School in Bonteheuwel during school's interval.

Johannesburg - Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk has encouraged South Africans to travel more domestically and contribute to the local tourism industry.

Pretoria - The Producer Price Index (PPI) fell by 3.8 percent year-on-year, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) reported on Thursday.

Johannesburg - Students at the Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg are expected to continue their protest against proposed fee increases for 2010 on Wednesday.

With only a few weeks left before almost 100 countries gather in Copenhagen for yet another round of talks on climate change, pressure is mounting for both the developed and developing nations to change their behaviour, writes Chris Bathembu.