Editor

One-hundred young hospitality graduates from Further Education and Training (FET) colleges will participate in the country’s first-ever Food Safety Programme this year.

South Africa’s two new universities will welcome their first students this month.

South Africans who have not yet registered to vote in this year’s election still have the opportunity to do so.

Those who did not take advantage of the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) November registration drive by registering at voting stations can register at their local municipal electoral office during office hours.

If you choose to register at a municipal electoral office make sure you phone first to arrange a time.

Infrastructure development

In an effort to respond to the demands of a growing population, the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development intends building nine new schools in the province.

Young people looking to start out in life have been encouraged to set out to sea for exciting career opportunities. This was the message at the Careers’ Expo and Jobs Summit hosted by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), the Department of Labour and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban recently.

More than six million South Africans have been tested so far during the HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) campaign. The campaign was launched by President Jacob Zuma in April last year. Its main aim is to promote HIV counselling and testing by encouraging all South Africans to know their status and to be screened for HIV, as well as TB. The goal is to test 15 million people by June this year.

International relations

The 2nd Regional Conference on Energy and Nuclear Power in Africa took place in Cape Town on 30 and 31 May. Hosted by the Department of Energy and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the conference was an opportunity for African member states to present and discuss the role of nuclear power in meeting Africa's future energy needs. It included presentations of lessons learned from nuclear power countries.

Presidential Hotline

Ordinary citizens continue to get help from the Presidential Hotline in solving problems experienced when dealing with different levels of government. People who have tried but failed through other channels, are welcome to turn to the Presidential Hotline.

You can now call one number to contact the Banking Ombudsman, the Long-term Insurance Ombudsman and the Credit Information Ombudsman.