THE WEEK IN WORDS
This is an important summit that comes at a time when the continent and South Africa are experiencing economic and political challenges, and the forum provides a platform for all stakeholders to deliberate and formulate solutions for the future of our continent. – South African film-maker, businessman and panellist Anant Singh on this week’s World Economic Forum on Africa in Durban.
The president’s marching order to us all is that we must end criminality by skilful manoeuvring, or by brute force. We must crush the head of the serpent. – Police Minister Fikile Mbalula tells parliamentarians the police will reclaim the streets from criminals.
Inequality in Africa is fuelling poverty, fracturing our societies and stifling the potential of millions of people. It will become a major drag on economic growth. – Winnie Byanyima, executive director of Oxfam International and co-chairwoman of this year’s WEF Africa.
Cannabis is like the natural wonders that include the big five, our great climate and culture that attract millions of tourists to our country, creating labour-intensive jobs. Creating jobs is the major challenge facing the government, and cannabis production remains an unexplored frontier with unlimited opportunities. The national discourse about cannabis must look at the economic benefits. Hunger has no morals and our people cannot eat a better life for all – radical economic transformation should include cannabis production for export. – Unathi Sonwabile Henama, who teaches tourism at the Tshwane University of Technology.
We will have to go back and look… and I hear the concern about the committee being misled and I take responsibility and apologise for that. I apologise to members, I apologise to Parliament for that. I hope it was not intentional. I hope colleagues were given
wrong information. – Energy Minister Mmaloko Kubayi tells Parliament’s portfolio committee on energy that part of the country’s strategic fuel reserves were sold in 2015 when Tina Joemat-Pettersson’s was minister and it was the subject of an investigation.The sale caused an outcry, partly because the stock was disposed of at the low price of $29 a barrel.