South Africa

Pretoria - Former Athletics South Africa (ASA) boss Leonard Chuene has been dismissed with immediate effect and suspended for seven years from holding any position in athletics.

Cape Town - Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma is set to meet her Zimbabwean counterparts in Pretoria early next week to discuss progress regarding the processing of passports in that country.

Cape Town - More than four million South Africans have accessed Thusong Services Centres, which offer government information and services, since April last year, the Minister of Home Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma said today.

Pretoria- Hoax emergency calls about fake life threatening incidents and traffic accidents are costing the North West Department of Health more than R5 million a month.

Cape Town - As the momentum for Thursday night's all-important State of the Nation Address by President Jacob Zuma builds up, Parliament has announced its theme for the year.

Pretoria - The ministry responsible for women has welcomed the ruling of the Durban High Court, which found Thozamile Taki guilty of killing 13 women.

Pretoria - Law enforcement officials nabbed a drunk motorist with blood alcohol content 32 times over the legal limit near Queenstown in the Eastern Cape on Wednesday.

Pretoria - It may be the season to be jolly, but KwaZulu-Natal Finance MEC Ina Cronje has urged South Africans to spend their money wisely by resisting temptation to spend what they don't have.

Malalane - The community of KaMhlushwa near Malalane in Mpumalanga is eagerly awaiting the opening of a new primary school which they say has been long overdue.

Pretoria - Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Gwen Ramokgopa, will on Christmas day visit a North West hospital as part of the department's tradition to celebrate the birth of babies born on the day.

Pretoria - The Department of Home Affairs has refuted allegations that it is failing abandoned children, as reported in The Star on Thursday.

Cape Town - The Department of Defence and Military Veterans has called on veterans to disregard calls by any parties to pay fees in return for pension fund assistance, as police today raided the Parow offices of alleged fraudsters.

Pretoria - A senior admin clerk at the Akasia Home Affairs offices was arrested on Thursday after she was allegedly linked to a scam in which foreigners got legal South African passports.

Pretoria -Government is pressing ahead with it plans to pass into law the Land Tenure Security Bill, which aims to secure land rights for farm dwellers.

Pretoria - The Department of Home Affairs' 24-hour call centre will stay in operation during the festive season to fast track the issuing of identity documents for matriculants.