South Africa

Pretoria - The Department of Home Affairs is to close its Port Elizabeth Refugee Reception Centre at the end of November.

Pretoria - The City of Johannesburg is studying the legal challenge documents it has received from companies complaining about electricity cut-offs.

Durban - As political leaders begin their talks on what should be the outcomes of this year's climate change conference in Durban, they should do so with the knowledge that they have the entire humanity in their hands, President Jacob Zuma said on Tuesday.

Cape Town - The Department of Agriculture, Foresty and Fisheries hopes to create 90 000 new jobs a year through the submission by provinces of over 140 project plans for job creation projects, says the Minister of Agriculture, Foresty and Fisheries Tina Joemat-Pettersson.

Pretoria - Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Marius Fransman, will deliver a public lecture at the University of Stellenbosch on Wednesday

Pretoria - The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has introduced a new online system that will make it much easier for teachers to apply for jobs in the province.

Pretoria - Government has welcomed the Western Cape High Court ruling which has found Xolile Mngeni guilty of the premeditated murder of Anni Dewani.

Pretoria - Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Elizabeth Thabethe says following a decrease in commercial activity between South Africa and Turkey, the two countries should renew efforts to increase trade.

Pretoria - Accounting officers in government could in future be punished for failing to pay suppliers of services within the stipulated 30 days, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan told the SABC on Wednesday.

Pretoria - The attainment of goals set for the Health Department's Negotiated Service Delivery Agreement (NSDA) will receive sharp scrutiny as Health Deputy Minister, Dr Gwen Ramokgopa continues to assess the performance of health district services.

Durban - Africa is setting the example in tackling land degradation with some encouraging results.

Pretoria - South African National Parks announced that to date, 405 rhinos have been poached throughout the country this year.

Cape Town - Despite President Jacob Zuma indicating that schooling should be obligatory, the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has said that it remains a legal challenge to force offenders to attend school.

Johannesburg - None of the departments in the Gauteng Provincial Government are under any provincial administration from the national government.

Pretoria - Limpopo Health MEC Dikeledi Magadzi has encouraged families of patients with mental conditions to keep them in a familiar environment with family and community members and consider institutionalisation as the last resort.