South Africa

Cape Town - The Department of Higher Education and Training has embarked on a National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS3) to help stave off unemployment and create jobs.

Pretoria - The Magnificent Friday campaign has been launched to mobilise South Africans and boost support for the country's national cricket, rugby and netball World Cup squads.

Pretoria - Secretary for Defence, Mpumi Mpofu, says policies are being reviewed and new ones drafted to ensure the smooth implementation of the recommendations made by the Interim National Defence Force Commission.

Pretoria - Bold government intervention is needed to address the service delivery protests which have broken out in Ermelo, Mpumalanga, says Dr Udesh Pillay, executive director of democracy, governance and service delivery at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).

Pretoria - South Africa has proved to be more popular with World Cup visitors than previously thought.

Pretoria - Two police officers have been injured in a helicopter crash at Wonderboom Airport, north of Pretoria.

Pretoria - Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba says Eskom's bond oversubscription is a sign of investor confidence in South Africa.

Pretoria - Members of Parliament requiring classified information on President Jacob Zuma's domestic and international travels should apply to the Joint Standing Committee on Defence.

Cape Town - The Department of Higher Education and Training has announced "a comprehensive review" on the spending priorities of the National Skills Fund, which will help to put more youth through the tertiary education system.

Pretoria - The United States is working with its African partners to impose sanctions against Laurent Gbagbo and his supporters and broadened a travel ban in the latest bid to pressure the Ivory Coast President to step down.

Cape Town - From this year onwards, government has announced that it would "incrementally introduce free education at the undergraduate level."

Pretoria - Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the empowerment of older persons, particularly those in rural areas, through access to government services.

Pretoria - The South African Football Association (SAFA) is warning parents not to be tricked by fly-by- night football academies which are operating across the country.

Cape Town - The Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on the National Health Insurance (NHI) has approved the proposed NHI policy, Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said on Tuesday.

Pretoria - A wildlife vet has found himself on the wrong side of the law after he was charged with illegally dehorning 15 rhinos.