Johannesburg  - Crimson sunsets, a lion lounging in long savannah grasses, smiling construction workers in hard hats tapping out a gumboot dance - South Africa's charms were on display during the Confederations Cup draw in Johannesburg on Saturday.

There was plenty to smile about, both for the organizers FIFA and the spectators.

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke could barely contain his excitement at being assisted in the draw by a bevvy of Misses in sumptuous evening dresses.

Johannesburg - The chief executive of South Africa's transport parastatal Transnet, Maria Ramos, on Friday announced plans to leave the company at the end of February 2009.

Since taking the job in 2003, Ramos has turned around the once-loss-making, heavily-indebted company, which manages the country's ports, oil and gas pipelines and freight rail.

Portuguese-born Ramos, 49, said the decision to depart had been one of the toughest decisions she had taken.

Johannesburg - South Africa football fans are eagerly awaiting Saturday's draw for next year's Confederations Cup as they know that the draw will favour the hosts.

Bafana Bafana have been placed into Group A, but as one of four seeded teams, will face just one of either Italy or Spain and they can't be drawn into a group with Brazil.

South Africa's two other two opponents will be drawn from Iraq, New Zealand and the US.

The other group will see Egypt, Brazil and then either Italy or Spain and one of Iraq, New Zealand or the US competing in the June

New Delhi, Nov 19 : With the aim of enhancing co-operation between India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) in the field of small industries, the third tri-nation summit for small business development began here today.

Inaugurating the Summit the Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Shri Mahabir Prasad raised hope that the summit will help the small industries of IBSA countries to meet global challenges.

The Minister said that in order to achieve this objective, it is essential to have synergy between the complimentary strengths of MSMEs of these three countries. This synergy will not only improve the competitiveness of small enterprises but will also enable them to enhance their participation in global market.

Johannesburg- The number of South Africans who are confident about the country's ability to host the 2010 World Cup appears to be on the increase.

However, concerns on security and the class of the home team remained.

According to an opinion poll carried out by the African Response institute and released Tuesday, 69 per cent of 1,200 people questioned said they were confident that infrastructure for the football tournament would be finished on time.

Johannesburg - One of the leaders of South Africa's new political party on Tuesday ruled out joining forces with other opposition parties to give the ruling African National Congress (ANC) a real run for its money in next year's general election.

Mbhazima Shilowa, convener-in-chief of the Congress of the People (COPE), said the party formed by a group of senior former ANC members that were close to ousted ex-president Thabo Mbeki, was "going to the election alone to test our strength."

But COPE "will cooperate with all political parties" on an issue by issue basis, he said.