journalist

State-owned company Infraco, to be launched in March, will provide low-cost fibre-optic broadband capacity to South Africa's telecoms operators, helping to bring down telephony prices in the country.

South Africa is to build a second nuclear power station as part of a multi-billion rand plan to meet the surging demand for electricity fuelled by the country's economic growth.

South Africa's Cabinet has given the go-ahead for plans to develop the country's biofuels and business process outsourcing industries, which will see billions of rands being pumped into these sectors in a bid to accelerate economic growth and create jobs.

South Africa's finalised codes of good practice on black economic empowerment give exemption to smaller companies and start-ups in their first year of operation, while allowing multi-nationals flexibility in how they structure their BEE deals.

Sub-Saharan Africa's first international business news channel, CNBC Africa, starts broadcasting from Johannesburg on 1 June, with an hour-long interview with South African President Thabo Mbeki as its first programme.

Springbok scrumhalf Fourie du Preez has been named South African rugby's Player of the Year. The Players' Player of the Year award went to Free State Cheetahs flanker Kabamba Floors.

Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula has called on South Africans to join in the fight against crime. The appeal comes as the government moves to strengthen policing at station level throughout the country, and through this to draw in stronger community support for combating crime.

The South African Police Service is to work more closely with communities and government departments to address the social causes of violent crimes in the country - which in the great majority of cases involve perpetrators who are known to their victims.

What's plastic, a metre long, brightly coloured and sounds like an elephant? It's the vuvuzela, the noise-making trumpet of South African football fans, and it's come to symbolise the sport in the country.

Describing South Africa as "a country enjoying the benefits of high commodity prices, solid growth and low interest rates", a special report by London's influential Financial Times has expressed qualified praise for SA's economic successes.