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Last year was no vintage for South African sports stars in the big three sports of cricket, rugby and soccer, although the national women’s soccer team Banyana Banyana did themselves proud. Who shone in other sports, though? Here’s SouthAfrica.info writer Brad Morgan's best of 2003.

A new enlarged Marakele National Park has been launched in Limpopo province as part of SA National Parks' programme to increase South Africa's protected areas to 10% of land mass by 2010. The park is the result of a private-public deal, the first of its kind in the country and a potential model for future biodiversity management in SA.

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.

Nelson Mandela turned 85 on 18 July 2003 - and you, and you, and you ... sent him 17 842 birthday messages via the official Mandela 85th Birthday website. View a selection of messages in the moving, amazing, 25-page Nelson Mandela 85th Birthday Message Book.

The education department and the Telkom Foundation have launched a computer centre at the Sebalamakgolo High school in Limpopo province.