Quotes

‘The ratification of the two treaties symbolises a change of course and co-operation, a change of heart, and we are hopeful that a new dawn has begun.’

– SA’s Justice Minister Ronald Lamola on fast-tracked help from the United Arab Emirates with extraditions after the belated ratification of treaties last week. SA has for some time been trying to have the Gupta family extradited from the UAE and also to get some legal assistance in terms of their financial statements.

 

‘I would have violated the Constitution and given the President liberty to violate the Constitution and set a bad precedent. He would have gotten a free hand to choose.’

– Kenya’s retired Chief Justice David Maraga, who said when he was in office there were suggestions from the executive to swear-in some of the 40 judges and reject those who were said to be ‘tainted’. President Uhuru Kenyatta reportedly ignored instructions to appoint 40 judges who were recruited by the Judicial Service Commission.

 

‘It will be forbidden to circumcise girls. Girls in Puntland must be left the way they are born. Anyone who performs circumcision in the region will face the full force of the law.’

– Puntland Justice Minister Awil Sheikh Hamud after Somalia's semi-autonomous region took a first step towards banning female genital mutilation in a country where almost all females are forced to undergo the globally condemned practice

 

‘I must therefore be acquitted because there is no evidence that the state may lawfully present in a court for me to answer as a consequence of the state losing title to prosecute.’

– Former SA President Jacob Zuma demanded to be acquitted of arms deal corruption because the state has ‘lost the constitutional legitimacy to present the evidence against me’. Zuma was responding to arguments by lead prosecutor Billy Downer, who says the former President's efforts to seek acquittal through a so-called ‘special plea’ process were legally ludicrous.

 

‘We are making progress in resolving many of our challenges, from corruption to energy shortages to the obstacles that discourage investment. The pace of reform is picking up. We do not take the patience and resilience of the South African people for granted. We acknowledge our shortcomings as a government and are working to remedy them. Optimism is the foundation of progress and hope is the companion of development.’

– President Cyril Ramaphosa, ahead of the G7 Summit which he attended