Wishy-washy namby-pambies

Hogarth is happy to know that parliament and the police are taking active steps to protect refugees who are vulnerable to xenophobia. In response to a threatening letter from the Northern Region Business Association in Durban, which instructed foreign spaza shopowners to stop operating or else, a statement was issued on behalf of Francois Beukman, chairman of the portfolio committee on police. “The committee dissuades any kind of threat of violence against any person within the borders of the country,” said the committee. Dissuades? How about dissuading those responsible for law and order from making such wishy-washy statements?