South Africa

Johannesburg - The first completed Gautrain train set was unveiled and given a test drive at the Gautrain depot in Midrand on Tuesday, its operational home.

Pretoria - A Committee for Male Initiation Affairs has been established by the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs to draw up an intervention strategy to prevent young boys dying at initiation schools.

Pretoria - The Ekurhuleni Metro Police have arrested three suspects in connection with setting alight of a councillor's house in Palm Ridge last night.

Despite the further cut in the repo rate which will bring reprieve to cash-strapped South Africans, consumers should still be wary about spending beyond their budgets and buying on credit, writes Neo Semono.

Pretoria - The Radiological Society of South Africa (RSSA) has encouraged women, especially those in the high risk category, to have a mammogram for early detection of cancer.

Pretoria - Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi assured doctors on Friday that government was working around the clock to address the challenges they faced.

Cape Town - Foreign Deputy Minister Sue van der Merwe is expected to meet with Qatari Assistant Foreign Minister for Follow-up Affairs Mohammed Abdullah Al-Rumaihi are expected to meet in Cape Town on Wednesday to advance bilateral relations.

Queenstown - Most towns and cities in South Africa will not host 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and World Cup matches, however, local residents still stand a chance to benefit either directly or indirectly from the historic soccer tournaments.

Nelspruit - Deputy President Baleka Mbete is confident that the Mbombela Local Municipality will deliver on its 2010 FIFA World Cup commitments within the set deadline.

Cape Town -The Southern African Development Community (SADC) believes regional integration needs to be achieved before the formation of a single African Union (AU) government can be realised.

Johannesburg - South Africans could soon be paying an additional 45 percent on their electricity bill every year over the course of the next three years, power utility Eskom said on Tuesday.

Pretoria - Residents living in Hammanskraal will no longer have to travel long distances to receive government services, thanks to the opening of the second phase of the Thusong Service Centre in their area.

Johannesburg - Joburg has received an unqualified report from the Auditor-General, Terence Nombembe, for the second consecutive year.

Harare - Business operations in Zimbabwe are once again showing signs of a recovery after a decade of political deadlock in that country as a result of the establishment of a government of national unity, writes Mugove Chigada.

Johannesburg - Poor South Africans could receive 70 kilowatts worth of free electricity if Eskom is granted a 45 percent "smoothed" tariff increase, says it's Chief Executive Jacob Maroga.