South Africa

Johannesburg - President Jacob Zuma has declared the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup officially open at the Ellis Park stadium in Johannesburg.

Pretoria - An independent firm has been roped in to investigate the dismissal of Nomonde Mapetla, the CEO of the Estate Agency Affairs Board (EAAB).

Pretoria - More than 180 000 pupils from 300 schools are set to receive better access to opportunities in sport through the School Sport Mass Participation Programme launched by the Gauteng Provincial Government on Friday.

Pretoria - The Department of Correctional Services says solving the delays in the implementation of new salary packages for correctional services officials is a priority.

North West - The North West Provincial Disaster Management Centre has issued a flood warning and appealed to residents to be careful when crossing rivers and bridges.

Pretoria - Public Protector Advocate Thuli Madonsela has welcomed the decision of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development to engage with her following the recent visit by two counter intelligence officials from the South African Police Service to her office.

Pretoria - South African business women currently hold 27 percent of senior management positions, beating the global average of 20 percent, the Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR) has revealed.

Pretoria - The South African National Blood Services (SANBS) has enlisted the help of local celebrities to get more South Africans to donate blood.

Pretoria - The country's water is safe for consumption and there is no crisis in the security of its water supply, says Department of Water Affairs and Forestry Minister Lindiwe Hendricks.

Pretoria - Thousands of South Africans will on Tuesday commemorate Youth Day in recognition of the brave youths who on 16 June 1976 stood up against the apartheid government's Bantu Education laws.

Pretoria - Over one million new potential voters have registered to vote in the 18 May local government elections.

Ekurhuleni - President Jacob Zuma has officially launched the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) which aims to advance the economic development of young people.

Pretoria - Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu says the South African mining industry is open for business.

Pretoria - Youth from all corners of the country are to be encouraged to actively engage in the government's programmes and policies through the Sanlam-GCIS SoNa National School debate.

Cape Town - Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Higher Education has called on the National Skills Fund (NSF) not to spend millions of rands funding service providers who give youth worthless short-term course certificates which don't help them find jobs.