Quotes

‘The President has spoken. It was an attempted insurrection. I confined myself to counter-revolution ... but ultimately remember, any element of counter-revolution ultimately may as well lead to an insurrection in the country.’

– Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, who did an about-turn, conceding that the unrest that rocked SA two weeks ago was an 'attempted insurrection'.

 

‘What kind of a father denies his children which he claims to love the right to be with their mother and vice-versa? Where is God when you need him?’

– Marry Mubaiwa, accusing he estranged husband, Zimbabwe’s Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, of denying her access to her children

 

‘Please understand this is something we are sacrificing to meet international best practice.’

– Mathew Nyumah, the parliamentary leader of the ruling Sierra Leone People's Party, urging MPs to vote for the abolition of the death penalty

 

‘The evidence is tangible and we certainly do not take this lightly.’ 

– President Andry Rajoelina’s adviser, Patrick Rajoelina, on an alleged plan to assassinate the Madagascan leader

 

‘I leave South Africa with the country on a decidedly better trajectory than when I arrived back here in 2017. I'm seeing a President, a government and a nation willing to face up to their recent past. Government is committed to reform and the rule of law and I leave confident in the next steps that will be taken to ensure those responsible for the plunder and pillaging that happened under state capture will be held accountable.’

– Martin Schäfer, the outgoing German ambassador