Informal settlements

Timred Jabaza has been waiting 22 years for a decent home - his long wait finally came to an end on Friday when President Jacob Zuma handed him the key to his new, fully furnished two-bedroom house.

The government is concerned about the under-representation of women at the executive level in the South African corporate space, but plans to address this through the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill, to be tabled before Cabinet during 2012/13.

Through the work of filmmakers Dara Kell and Christopher Nizza, the story of Abahlali basemjondolo’s court case against the government over unfair evictions captured the attention of the world. The pair was recently awarded the Brooklyn Film Festival’s most prestigious prize.
• South African film lauded at Canadian Oscars

Prevention is at the heart of the government's bold plan to fight the HIV/Aids epidemic, aiming to reduce the rate of new infections by at least 50%. Its holistic approach includes fighting tuberculosis, a massive HIV testing campaign, and extending South Africa's ARV programme, which is already the biggest of its kind in the world.

Despite delivering over 2.8-million subsidised houses since 1994, South Africa is battling rapid urban migration coupled with capacity constraints in provinces and municipalities, and will have to co-ordinate with precision if it is to meet its housing delivery commitments, a government report finds.

Every year since 2003 South Africa has sent a team of youngsters to represent the country at the Homeless Soccer World Cup. This year could be different for Team SA, ranked 20th in this unique tournament.
• Transforming lives through sport

The non-profit Izivunguvungu-MSC Foundation for Youth teaches sailing techniques to young people from the Western Cape’s disadvantaged communities, giving them skills that they can use to build a career.
• Aviation, maritime careers for youth

Uniforms, stationery and a vegetable tunnel were donated to underprivileged schools by Nedbank through its Back-to-School programme, one of the bank's many investments in education.
• Needy pupils kitted out for school

Amid an uncertain global economic outlook, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan tabled a R1-trillion Budget in Parliament on Wednesday, detailing how South Africa's various social programmes and the massive infrastructure projects announced by President Jacob Zuma would be funded.

The derelict Leratong Hospital outside Krugersdorp, east of Johannesburg, has been earmarked for major renovations which will transform it into a top-class public health facility.
• Soweto to get second state hospital