edinburgh

Eastern Cape-born Cecil Afrika, top points and try scorer in the 2010/2011 HSBC Sevens World series, was recently named the International Rugby Board's (IRB) Sevens Player of the Year.
• Kick start for rugby programme

Cecil Afrika was named world Sevens Player of the Year at the IRB Rugby Awards in Auckland on Monday. Four other South Africans - the late Kitch Christie, Francois Pienaar, Jake White and John Smit - were elected to the IRB Hall of Fame.

Five students from Wits University and their advisors have been selected as one of the top three teams in the regional semi-finals of the annual International Genetically Engineered Machine competition.
• SA universities among the best

Celebrated South African playwright Athol Fugard will receive a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre at the 2011 Tony Awards in New York on Sunday.

The South African Sevens team produced a comeback for the ages to capture the Edinburgh Sevens on Sunday. With the win, they claimed back-to-back victories for the first time since 2008, when they won in Dubai and George.

Only two of the statues outside Westminster are not of British leaders, and both are South African. After President Jacob Zuma’s state visit to the UK, John Battersby reflects on the long and deep relationship between the two countries.
• Gallery: Zuma's UK state visit