Lax and corrupt public officials should stop blaming apartheid for their misdeeds, a deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba has said in the ANC journal, Umrabulo, featured in The Sunday Independent and on the party’s website.

"Apartheid cannot be blamed every time some among them fail to discharge their responsibilities or get involved in corruption," said Gigaba in his article about The Developmental State.

Gigaba, who is also the ANC's national executive committee member, said laxity in executing public service duty constituted corruption, but this could not be blamed on apartheid.

 

President Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation Address is encouraging to business, the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) said on Thursday.

The tone of the President's address, supported by the promise of improved economic activity and growth, is encouraging to business and should promote business confidence at a time when business confidence is constrained, said SACCI.

While the business body welcomed government's commitment to a year of action, it was concerned at the lack of detail in commitments, other than in the five priority areas. Opposition parties also criticised President Zuma for his vague statements about implementation. However, government had warned earlier that that the flesh would be put on the bones of Zuma’s pronouncements by his cabinet ministers in the near future.

Parliament is gearing up for this year's State of the Nation Address (SONA) which is expected to draw larger crowds as it coincides with the 20th anniversary of former President Nelson Mandela's release from prison.

On Tuesday afternoon, onlookers were treated to a demonstration by members of the South African National Defence Force who lined the streets leading to parliament as part of preparations for Thursday night’s event.

An estimated 1 500 people are expected to gather around the National Assembly to welcome parliamentarians, political heads, ambassadors, high commissioners and invited international guests who will be attending the opening of parliament by President Jacob Zuma.

Today marks the 20th anniversary of former President FW de Klerk's historic announcement to unban the African National Congress (ANC) and free Nelson Mandela who was a political prisoner at the time.

On 2 February 1990, de Klerk announced in Parliament: "I wish to put it plainly, that the government has taken a firm decision to release Mr Mandela unconditionally. I'm serious about bringing this matter to finality without delay. The government will take the decision soon on the date of his release."

Nine days later, Mandela walked out of prison a free man. This lead to South Africa's first democratic election in 1994, in which Mandela was elected as the country's new President.

The financial management of municipalities in Gauteng is steadily improving, MEC for local government Kgaogelo Lekgoro said on Monday.

President Jacob Zuma's popularity has increased over the last six months, according to the results of a poll conducted by research company Ipsos Markinor.

President Jacob Zuma is more popular than he has ever been, according to a research survey released on Tuesday.

South African opposition parties have started talks on an alliance aimed at challenging the African National Congress in local polls in 2011.

All Women's Month events planned by the department of the premier in the Western Cape have been cancelled, Premier Helen Zille announced on Thursday. She said the funds - amounting to R320,000 - would instead be used for bursaries for girl primary school pupils.

 

Opposition parties expressed regret on Thursday that Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke did not get the nod as next chief justice, but still welcomed President Jacob Zuma's nomination of Sandile Ngcobo for the post.

South Africa's Jacob Zuma has shown his common touch as a people's president in the face of violent protests and economic pressures that have deflated his ambitious election promises.

President Jacob Zuma's cabinet reflects a shift in focus to helping millions of poor South Africans without alienating business and investors in the most difficult economic climate in nearly two decades.

ANC leader Jacob Zuma was elected president of South Africa by parliament on Wednesday, and set boosting the economy and creating jobs as his immediate priorities.

The United States on Tuesday hailed South Africa's election, calling it transparent and democratic, and pledged to work with the next government. 

Seventy seven percent of registered South African voters turned up to cast their votes in the 2009 election, according to results released at the IEC Centre in Pretoria.

IEC Chairwoman Brigalia Bam on Saturday declared the 2009 South African election free and fair.

"In terms of section 57 of the electoral act...I am proud to declare the 2009 elections, free and fair," Bam said.

This was after Bam displayed the results on large screens, at the IEC's national election centre in Pretoria. 

The free and fair environment in which Wednesday's general elections were conducted had boosted investor confidence, Business Unity SA (Busa) said on Thursday. 

South Africans voted on Wednesday in an election that poses the toughest challenge to the African National Congress since the end of apartheid and could weaken its overwhelming dominance in parliament.

South Africans vote in national and provincial elections on Wednesday.

Here are some interesting facts and useful information on South Africa's election.

South Africans going to the polls on Wednesday can take comfort from the fact that more than 300 international observers will be overseeing the electoral process to ensure that it is free and fair.

South Africans turned up in large numbers to cast their ballots in London on Wednesday, a spokesman for the South African high commission said.

More than 16 000 South Africans living overseas will be able to vote in the coming election, the Freedom Front Plus said on Thursday.

The Constitutional Court ruled on Thursday that registered voters living overseas can vote for the national assembly in the April 22 elections.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said late Monday that South Africa's important position in Africa, which goes far beyond mediating conflicts in Sudan and the Congo, "underlines the role that South Africa has found in recent years." 

The African Union (AU) has announced the appointment of former South African president Thabo Mbeki to chair a special committee set to investigate human rights violations in Darfur.