“I hit him with a blow with a bush-knife on his face while he was lying on the ground. When you are fighting you are not a spectator. I was not a spectator.” – Mr X, testifying at the Farlam Commission of Inquiry into the deaths of miners in Marikana, quoted in Business Day.
“We killed them at the bus stop. We burnt one in the car and we took pieces of flesh from the other one. That would make our muti strong, so that we go forward when we attack. The sangoma said we should bring the human parts.” – Mr X testifying at the Farlam Commission of Inquiry about the murders of two security guards at Marikana during the 2012 Lonmin mineworkers’ strike.
“After this, the inyangas told us that they had accomplished their mission in protecting us from police bullets, made us fearless, strong, and invisible to the police.” – Mr X in his affidavit.
“Platinum will never be the same again… What other unions could not do in more than 20 years, you could do in five months.” – Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa addressing union members while announcing the end of the five-month platinum sector strike.
“I am waiting for my back pay so that I can catch up with life. We lost a lot during the strike, but it was for a good cause.” – Impala Platinum mineworker Asavelu Mncube.
“I have too much in arrears of R10,000. When I count my losses in wages it’s about R64,000.” – Lonmin mineworker Bigfish Kgosing, quoted in The Star, on his return to work after the five-month platinum strike ended.
“Desperately in need of a functioning president. This one costs too much to maintain, will take what we can get at the moment, just make an offer.” – A spoof advert posted on Gumtree advertising President Jacob Zuma for sale.
“The ANC moered you fair and square in Gauteng and in SA.” – Deputy Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams addressing DA parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane during debate on the state-of-the-nation address. She was instructed to withdraw the remark, regarded as crude language.
“Chair, when police reduce crime you come here and say the ANC has reduced crime. When police kill people you don’t want us to come here and say the ANC government has killed people. That is inconsistent, honourable chair.” – EFF leader Julius Malema addressing NCOP chairwoman Thandi Modise, who asked him to retract his statement that the ANC killed strikers at Marikana.
“I get the impression… they’re looking for a racial incident.” – FF Plus leader Pieter Mulder on alleged provocation by EFF MPs in Parliament. The two parties’ offices are on the same floor of the Marks Building.
“Is there a man inside?” – Mbombela magistrate Willie Wilkins asking a child rape-accused why he appeared in his court with a box hanging around his neck.
“I laid a complaint with police to find out why these communists keep fighting his parole.” – Gaye Derby-Lewis on her continuing bid to secure parole for her husband Clive Derby-Lewis, jailed for his role in killing SACP leader Chris Hani in 1993.
“We lodged objections at each of the parole hearings. We did object, but this time we weren’t heard. We have no control over it, we have to put our trust in the parole board.” – Denise Goldin, mother of actor Brett Goldin, who was killed in 2006, after two of the men convicted of robbing and abducting him were released on parole.
Source : Sapa /th/jk/lp/jje
