Cabinet's first regular meeting of the year was held in Pretoria on Tuesday morning, preceding the annual January Cabinet lekgotla from January 20 to 22.

In a statement after the meeting, government spokesman Themba Maseko said the first report on the implementation of South Africa's African peer review mechanism (APRM) programme of action had been noted.

The report covered the period from November 2007 to December 2008 and reflected on the progress made in implementing the recommendations of the ARPM country report.

The report would be finalised after further comments were received from all government departments, and would be presented to the APRM forum of heads of states during the course of 2009, he said.

The meeting had noted the 2009 parliamentary programme, in terms of which President Kgalema Motlanthe would deliver the state of the nation address to a joint sitting of Parliament on February 6, and Finance Minister Trevor Manuel would deliver the Budget speech on February 11.

The meeting also approved the appointment of Taffy Adler as chief executive officer of the newly-established Housing Development Agency.

Adler is currently CEO of the Johannesburg Housing Company.