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Gone are the days when 69-year-old Hamilton Makgato and his family would gather every container and chase after a water tanker or walk for hours to the nearest borehole or river for water. Now all they have to do is open up a tap in their home and water gushes out - making life so much easier for the family.

The Department of Basic Education has committed itself to improving the literacy and numeracy skills of all learners. To achieve this the department has produced a series of workbooks to assist learners. This year the department will distribute 54 million workbooks to learners.

What are workbooks?

When President Jacob Zuma handed over the first of 49 schools built through the Accelerated School Infrastructure Development Initiative (ASIDI) in the Eastern Cape recently, he signalled government’s biggest step yet in eliminating mud schools.

Why should I get tested?

Knowing your HIV status is the only way to protect your health and the health of your partner. Also, if you are planning a pregnancy or already pregnant, knowing your status is essential to protect the health of your child.

Mduduzi Mthembu’s dream of becoming a doctor seemed almost out of his grasp as the cost of his studies became too much for his family.

Infrastructure Development

From April patients  who are on ARV treatment will no longer have to take three tablets daily but will only need one tablet a day.

This was announced by Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi recently, when he released details on a tender award for a single dose of the triple combination of tenofovir, entricitabine and efavirenz.

Dr Motsoaledi noted that South Africa had managed to reduce the cost of the tender by more than a third - 38 per cent – which is a massive saving of R2.2 billion.

Textbooks will be delivered on time to schools across the country this year. This is the promise from the Department of Basic Education as it beefs up efforts to ensure that schools, especially in Limpopo, receive all textbooks before the start of the 2013 school year.

Sport

It’s all systems go for the 2013 edition of the Orange African Cup of Nations tournament. From 19 January to 10 February 2013, the world’s eyes will once again be on South Africa as 16 of Africa’s best football nations battle it out for the prestigious continental crown.

International relations

From January 2013 South Africa will serve a three-year term as a member of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (UN).

ECOSOC is a central forum for discussing economic, human rights, health, social and cultural issues at the UN.