education

Parliament is considering a draft law that seeks to empower older South Africans, recognising the skills and wisdom of older people as well as their right to care and protection.

The government has published a manual to help build the capacity and skills of professionals and community members in addressing domestic violence.

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research has launched an Open Source Centre to help stimulate the adoption of open source software technologies in Africa.

A group of African countries have launched the African Laser Centre, based in South Africa, to serve as a central point for coordinating a network of excellence in laser research and development across the continent.

Alexandra township in Johannesburg has been under threat of demolition many times in its 100-year-old history - particularly in the height of the apartheid period, when other "black spots" in the middle of white suburbs met their deaths beneath state bulldozers. Of these, Alex alone survived. Thanks to a friendship.

Cape Town-based Roth Medical Components was named Africa's top small business at the first Africa SMME Awards function in Johannesburg.

The Upstarts innovation incubation programme - brainchild of billionaire Mark Shuttleworth - aims to help South Africa's budding entrepreneurs turn their innovations into viable business ideas that are ready for the market.

A government initiative called Technology for Women in Business is helping South Africa's female entrepreneurs get access to the applied science and technology they need to catapult their businesses into the big league.

The government has launched a set of guidelines advising employers on how to handle HIV/Aids in a way that will improve productivity and uplift the morale of infected and affected workers.

It came as no surprise to Gary Kleynhans when three young black surfers were selected for the Western Province longboard surfing team this year. For the past four years, the former SA surfing champion has been developing the sport among Cape Town's underprivileged kids. And surf lessons are only part of his project.