THE WEEK IN WORDS
COMPILED BY LINDSAY SLOGROVE
For me the tragedy of this coldhearted refusal by the Speaker was that it illustrated so clearly what people are saying in the streets: during the Struggle heroes died so that we can govern; now innocent people die in Marikana and psychiatric wards because we govern. – Mathews Phosa writing in The Sunday Independent after Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation address. I am frustrated and I’ve lost hope because nobody from the department wants to take responsibility. It seems like they have turned their backs on us. – DUT nursing graduate Luyanda Ngubane, of Empangeni, accuses the Department of Health of not providing community service placings to allow them to qualify. 2016 was the year the cynical use of ‘us vs them’ narratives of blame, hate and fear took on a global prominence to a level not seen since the 1930s. Across the world, leaders and politicians wagered their future power on narratives of fear and disunity, pinning blame on the ‘other’ for the real or manufactured grievances of the electorate. – Amnesty International secretarygeneral Salil Shetty in its latest report, which also singled out US President Donald Trump.
It is my view that Phat Joe offended all people with Down syndrome, mocking them and insulting their level of
intelligence. – Janus Horn, whose 2-year-old son, Nicholas, has Down syndrome, has reported DJ Phat Joe and ECR to the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa for the DJ’s comment that he felt“Down syndromish”. He was taken off air this week. They (Zanu-PF) want me to stand for elections. Of course, if I feel that I can’t do it any more, I will say so to my party so that they can relieve me. But, for now, I think I can’t say so. – Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, who turned 93 this week, insists he will not resign because there were “millions” who wanted him to continue. I am not here to work for a short time. I want to be here for a long time. The chairman talked about marriage earlier. I hope that I am the beautiful wife, so that I stay here for a long time. – New Pirates coach Kjell Jonevret. We appreciate every penny they add to what we get. But I must be honest, this is nothing compared to what we need to survive. – Themba Vezi, 87, on the R90 increase in the old-age pension announced by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan during his Budget speech in Parliament this week.