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2011 Year of Performance

To improve numeracy and literacy at primary school level, the Department of Basic Education introduced workbooks in schools last year. This year, the numeracy and literacy workbooks were made available to all primary schools. Through this project, the department gives resource support to 6,5 million learners and approximately 180 000 teachers in close to 20 000 schools.

2011 Year of Performance

In May 2009, the newly elected administration set up a new department called the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform to create viable, just and sustainable rural communities.

About 600 000 matrics will complete their schooling this month. But what are their chances of finding employment? More than 40 per cent of young people under the age of 30 are jobless, compared with less than 17 per cent of adults over 30. Government has therefore devised a number of employment programmes specifically targeting youth in both urban and rural areas.

2011 Year of Performance

One of government’s recent job-creation programmes is the Department of Transport’s S’hamba Sonke Programme. This R22 billion initiative, launched in April this year, will create more than 66 000 job opportunities. Already, an amount of R6,4 billion has been set aside for the present financial year.

Sports

South African cities are ready to battle it out in a bid to serve as hosts for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) tournament. Although the tournament requires only four venues, 11 cities are hoping to be hosts.

Sports

Young girls who dream of wearing the Banyana Banyana jersey to represent their country overseas, now have a special role model to look up to.

International relations

Infrastructure development between South Africa and Qatar is set to intensify in the future. This emerged after a meeting between President Jacob Zuma and Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani in Doha.

International relations

South Africa's Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will once again contest the position of chairperson on the African Union (AU) Commission in July after an earlier unsuccessful attempt.

Youth matters

The excitement of experiencing French culture, cuisine, couture and chic awaits a group of 10 young volunteers between the ages of 18 and 25 from the Western Cape. They left for France in late January as part of the National Youth Development Agency’s (NYDA) French Exchange Programme.

Youth matters

The Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) and the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) have joined forces to support young South Africans who dream of careers in the arts, culture and heritage sector.