SOUTH AFRICA

South African refiner SAPREF has delayed the full start-up of its 180,000 barrels per day plant in Durban until the beginning of October, extending its shutdown to more than three months, a company spokeswoman said on Monday.

Namibia's annual inflation rate quickened to 5.4 percent in August from 5.1 percent in July, largely driven by rising food and transport costs, official data showed on Monday.

South Africa's largest insurer, Old Mutual, met forecasts with a 36 percent increase in first half profit

Investments in offgrid energy generation projects are the quickest way to get electricity to the 1.6 billion people in the world without lights, a World Bank official said on Wednesday.

Diamonds produced in a laboratory - cheaper and in a myriad of colours - should not be seen as a threat by industry giant De Beers since they will largely fill a separate niche, a group promoting the gems said.

India's Tata group announced on Tuesday it is buying a 26 percent stake in InfraCo, a new South Africa-based telecommunications company.

South African financial services company Alexander Forbes confirmed on Monday it has agreed to sell its international risk services unit to Lockton International Holdings for a £67.6 million ($127.5 million).

The Coca- Cola company said on Friday it will relocate its Africa Group office from Windsor, England to Johannesburg in South Africa starting in January next year, in a bid to increase business growth in Africa.

British entrepreneur Richard Branson's latest venture into South Africa, Virgin Money said on Wednesday it has already issued over 50,000 credit-cards in the six weeks since its launch.

Singita Private Game Reserve has been voted as the best hotel in the world. The city that it is located in, Cape Town, has been ranked as one of the top 10 cities, according to an Internet survey conducted by Travel & Leisure Magazine.

Africa's trade with China has grown considerably with exports rising by 72 percent in 2005. The figure surpassed exports to Europe which only amounted to 30 percent, said Standard Chartered Bank on Wednesday.

Business confidence is down slightly in July, the South African Chamber of Business said on Thursday.

South African agricultural representatives are looking at their own governments to see what can be done in the wake of recently suspended trade talks of the World Trade Organization.

An outbreak of a less virulent strain of avian Influenza in the Western Cape province of South Africa, has resulted in the culling of 8,000 ostriches, the Department of Agriculture reported on Wednesday.

Countries such as India, South Africa and South American Mercosur nations will continue trade negotiations following the indefinite suspension of global trade talks through the World Trade Organization.

South Africa needs $858-million to commence its stadium renovations for the 2010 World Cup finals, the organizing committee told parliament on Tuesday.

A biofuel company will invest $1 billion to develop the biofuel sector in Africa, it was announced Tuesday.

The collapse of yesterday's WTO trade talks in Geneva has resulted in mixed feelings for Africa as it faces an uncertain future of high tariffs, officials said on Tuesday.

Doha round talks between the G8 and the developing G5 nations ended with hopes that negotiations will be completed by the end of the year, South African President Thabo Mbeki said on Friday.

Trading with South Africa was unheard of under Apartheid. But 15 years on, the nation has become an economic force.

Under pressure from Group of Eight leaders, ministers from six key trade powers are to start intensive meetings to rescue the deeply troubled Doha round, officials said on Monday.