South Africa

Mbombela - Mpumalanga residents have been warned of heavy rains in the province's Lowveld area this week.

Port Elizabeth - The news of the death of three Port Elizabeth ward councillors has been met with shock and dismay in the Eastern Cape.

Pretoria - The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has announced the appointment of Cash Paymaster Services (Pty) Ltd as the new contractor for the payment of social grants.

Pretoria - Schools in Atteridgeville hit the ground running this morning with learning and teaching beginning on a high note.

Siyabuswa - Mpumalanga's top matriculant, Solomon Thabiso Moabi, is on his way to becoming a top accountant at PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

Tembisa - Gauteng Health MEC Ntombi Mekgwe has given Tshepisa Primary School in Tembisa the thumbs-up for a successful first day.

Pretoria - January 18 will forever be etched in the memories of learners at Itirele-Zenzele Secondary school in Diepsloot - they started the academic year in a brand new, state-of-the-art school.

Pretoria - Retail trade sales in November grew by 6.8% year-on-year, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said

Skukuza - The Kruger National Park has warned visitors not to use the Crocodile bridge entrance as heavy rains have caused the Crocodile River to overflow.

East London - Eastern Cape Education MEC Mandla Makupula is determined to overhaul the province's education system to prevent a repeat of the dismal 2011 matric results.

Bela Bela - The South African government has expressed optimism that Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will be elected to lead the African Union (AU) Commission.

Pretoria - Defence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu will respond to media queries related to the South African National Defence Force's involvement in the festive season crime-fighting operations soon, says the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS).

Durban - President Jacob Zuma and KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo on Monday took health services to one of the most deprived wards in rural KwaZulu-Natal.

Jakarta - Developing countries should prepare for further downside risks, as EuroZone debt problems and weakening growth in several big emerging economies are dimming global growth prospects, the World Bank said in a statement on Thursday.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has extended his condolences to the family of Ilse Naude after she died from a heart attack in Cape Town last Thursday.