The last long weekend for quite a while is upon us, so enjoy time off while you can – because from next week it’s back to working five-day weeks again. So spend Worker’s Day chilling out on the beach, in front of the tv or in bed with a good book. But before you kick your shoes off and put your feet up, let’s take a look at great news that made the headlines in South Africa this week.

SA ranked third for women’s representation in parliament

“Women’s representation in the South African National Assembly has jumped to 45% since the country’s recent elections, giving South Africa a third place spot in the global women in parliament rankings” – reports Gender Links, a Johannesburg-based NGO. Topping the list is Rwanda and Sweden – with 56% and 47% women’s representation in their respective parliaments.

Reference: SA Good News

Transkei residents have their sights restored

Tunisian doctors visiting the Eastern Cape set up at the St Barnabas hospital in Libode, and assessed 380 patients and operated on 46 – from Sunday through to Wednesday. Operations were said to continue till the end of the week. “One of these elderly people yesterday was very excited,” said Sizwe Kupelo – spokesperson for the Eastern Cape Health Department. “She shouted that she need not to be led by anyone because she could see for herself.”

Reference: News 24

Five South African restaurants among global Top 100

Five South African establishments has made an appearance on the 2009 S. Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurants list. According to SA Good News, this “annual guide to the best places to eat on earth, an initiative of the UK’s Restaurant Magazine, is the result of a worldwide poll which canvasses the opinions of the world’s best travelled and most polished palates.” All five South African restaurants featured – namely Le Quartier Francais, La Colombe, Jardine, Aubergine and Rust en Vrede Wine Estate – are based in the Western Cape.

Reference: SA Good News

R1.4bn to be spent on 2010 buses

“Government will spend R1.4bn on 570 new buses to transport 2010 World Soccer Cup spectators around and between South Africa’s cities,” said Transport Minister Jeff Radebe. “Mercedes would produce semi-luxury coaches and intercity buses, while MAN would produce general spectators’ buses. Fans would be able to make use of 110 general spectator standard buses, 168 semi-luxury coaches and 292 intercity transporters. An additional 260 buses would be leased from the industry – 250 for the general spectators service and the remaining 10 for use in the semi-luxury division.”

Reference: News 24