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Recent parliamentary hearings on a draft Children's Bill, drawn up by the SA Law Reform Commission to bring together all legislation relating to children, were tense as welfare organisations and the government argued over key points excluded from the original draft Bill.

Vodacom, First National Bank and Sanlam have been voted tops in a survey measuring customer satisfaction in the insurance, telecommunications and banking sectors. The results suggest that South African customers are more satisfied than their counterparts in Europe and America.

South Africa ranks among the world's top 12 maritime trading nations, commanding 6% of the world's sea trade. Yet much of the shipping industry is foreign-owned. Now a new black-owned shipping line - largely owned by former Robben Island inmates - is making waves in the industry.

South Africa's rich platinum reserves could make it a key player in a major future energy source - fuel cell technology. At least, that's the perspective of some. Others argue that fuel cells won't quite spell a platinum paradise, but could be used productively in a combination of next-generation energy solutions.

South Africa moved another step closer to diversifying its energy sources when synfuels producer Sasol opened an 865km natural gas pipeline from Mozambique. A new power plant commissioned by the government may go the way of natural gas too.

South Africa's national carrier, SA Airways, is facing increasingly stiff competition from no-frills airlines offering budget deals to local and international fliers - the most recent player being Civair, which will offer low-budget flights direct from the UK to Cape Town and Durban later in 2004.

The R530-million Roodeplaat Temba Water Supply Scheme, launched this week, will ensure that sufficient water is available to the rural communities of the Moretele local municipality

The latest phase of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, the largest bi-national construction project on the continent, is complete.

Following the introduction of TelkomInternet via satellite, Telkom is taking its SpaceStream Express product into Africa, offering businesses and other users on the continent fast, reliable access to the Internet.

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.