African National Congress politicians

"I do not hate the white man; you see, his position of domination has placed him in a position of moral weakness."

"In so far as gaining citizenship rights and opportunities for the unfettered development of the African people, who will deny that thirty years of my life have been spent knocking in vain, patiently, moderately and modestly at a closed and barred door?"

"I have joined my people in the new spirit that moves them today, the spirit that revolts openly and boldly against injustice and expresses itself in a determined and non-violent manner."

""Laws and conditions that tend to debase human personality - a God-given force - be they brought about by the State or other individuals, must be relentlessly opposed in the spirit of defiance shown by St. Peter when he said to the rulers of his day: "Shall we obey God or man?" No one can deny that in so far as non-Whites are concerned in the Union of South Africa, laws and conditions that debase human personality abound."

"My only painful concern at times is that of the welfare of my family but I try even in this regard, in a spirit of trust and surrender to God's will as I see it, to say: "God will provide." It is inevitable that in working for Freedom some individuals and some families must take the lead and suffer: The Road to Freedom is via the CROSS."

"We meet here to express our deep resentment at the claim made by South Africa though its governments and parliaments since the union, to determine and shape our destiny without consulting our wishes, and arrogantly to assign us a position of permanent inferiority in our land, contrary to the plan and purpose of God our Creator, who created "all men equal." And into us too, not to whites only, He breathed the divine spirit of human dignity. And so we have every human and moral right to resist laws and policies which create a climate inimical to the full development of our personalities as individuals, and our development as a people."

"The laws and policies of white South Africa are no doubt inimical to this development. And so I call upon our people in all walks of life ministers of the Gospel of Christ, who died to save human dignity, teachers, professional men, business men; farmers and workers to rally round the congress at this hour to make our voice heard. We may be voteless, but we are not necessarily voiceless; it is our determination more than ever before in the life of our congress, to have our voice not only heard but heeded too. Through gatherings like this in all centres, large and small, we mean to mobilize our people to speak with this one voice and say to white South Africa: We have no designs to elbow anyone out of South Africa, but equally we have no intention whatsoever of abandoning our divine right, of ourselves determining our destiny according to the holy and perfect plan of our Creator. Apartheid can never be such a plan."

"The fate of Africans in the cities of the nation rests on the stand we take against this tyrannical action of the government. As leaders we shall do all in our power to consolidate the country to oppose the carrying out of this outrageous tyrannical scheme."

"...as a Christian and patriot, [I] could not look on while systematic attempts were made, almost in every department of life, to debase the God-factor in man or to set a limit beyond which the human being in his black form might not strive to serve his Creator to the best of his ability. To remain neutral in a situation where the laws of the land virtually criticized God for having created men of color was the sort of thing I could not, as a Christian, tolerate."

"The mitigating feature in the gloom of those far-off days was the shaft of light sunk by Christian missions, a shaft of light to which we owe our initial enlightenment. With successive governments of the time doing little or nothing to ameliorate the harrowing suffering of the black man at the hands of slave drivers, men like Dr. David Livingstone and Dr. John Philip and other illustrious men of God stood for social justice in the face of overwhelming odds."

"It is fair to say that even in present-day conditions, Christian missions have been in the vanguard of initiating social services provided for us. Our progress in this field has been in spite of, and not mainly because of, the government. In this, the church in South Africa, though belatedly, seems to be awakening to a broader mission of the church in its ministry among us. It is beginning to take seriously the words of its Founder who said: "I came that they might have life and have it more abundantly.""

"Scientific inventions, at all conceivable levels should enrich human life, not threaten existence. Science should be the greatest ally, not the worst enemy of mankind. Only so can the world, not only respond to the worthy efforts of Nobel, but also ensure itself against self-destruction. Indeed the challenge is for us to ensure the world from self-destruction. In our contribution to peace we are resolved to end such evils as oppression, white supremacy and race discrimination, all of which are incompatible with world peace and security. There is indeed a threat to peace."

"May the day come soon, when the people of the world will rouse themselves, and together effectively stamp out any threat to peace in whatever quarter of the world it may be found. When that day comes, there shall be "peace on earth and goodwill amongst men", as was announced by the Angels when that great messenger of peace, Our Lord came to earth."

"Chief Albert Luthuli was a man of universal wisdom, and exceptional integrity: a man of deep compassion, motivated into political action by his deep Christian commitment. The African National Congress is proud today to list him among its Presidents."

"A man of peace and one who believed passionately that inter-racial strife was an evil, destructive and totally wasteful force."

"All those people across the world who value courage, decency and compassion, have lost one of their noblest champions...I shall always remember my visit. For 5 years his own people had no direct word from their leader, yet his patient and compassionate devotion to the future of his country became a model of courage and dedication for all of us.""

"...On the same day, the Prize for 1960 was awarded for the first time to an African – Albert Luthuli, one of the earliest leaders of the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. For me, as a young African beginning his career in the United Nations a few months later, those two men set a standard that I have sought to follow throughout my working life."

"Every time I take a flight, I am always mindful of the many people who make a successful journey possible - the known pilots and the unknown ground crew. So you honor the dedicated pilots of our struggle who have sat at the controls as the freedom movement soared into orbit. You honor, once again, Chief Lutuli of South Africa, whose struggles with and for his people, are still met with the most brutal expression of man's inhumanity to man. You honor the ground crew without whose labor and sacrifices the jet flights to freedom could never have left the earth. Most of these people will never make the headline and their names will not appear in Who's Who. Yet when years have rolled past and when the blazing light of truth is focused on this marvellous age in which we live - men and women will know and children will be taught that we have a finer land, a better people, a more noble civilization - because these humble children of God were willing to suffer for righteousness' sake."

"I only regret that circumstances and spacial divisions have made it impossible for us to meet. But I admire your great witness and your dedication to the cause of freedom and human dignity. You have stood amid persecution, abuse, and oppression with a dignity and calmness of spirit seldom paralleled in human history. One day all of Africa will be proud of your achievements."

"I have been moved by the award to you of the 1960 Nobel Peace Prize and I join with many others from all parts of the world in extending sincere congratulations to you. This high recognition of your past and continuing efforts in the cause of justice and the advancement through peaceful means of the brotherhood of man is applauded by free men everywhere."

"We join two distinguished South Africans, the late Chief Albert Lutuli and His Grace Archbishop Desmond Tutu, to whose seminal contributions to the peaceful struggle against the evil system of apartheid you paid well-deserved tribute by awarding them the Nobel Peace Prize"

"Lutuli is primarily a mediator... he sought to reconcile tribal values with Christianity... and bridge the gap between traditional tribal organization and the system of parliamentary democracy"

"Now that I have been convicted, I want to explain my actions so that you ... should understand why I chose to join the struggle for the freedom of my people.... It was during my primary school years that the bare facts concerning the realities of South African society and its discrepancies began to unfold before me. I remember a period in the early 1960s, when there was a great deal of political tension, and we often used to encounter armed police in Soweto.... I remember the humiliation to which my parents were subjected by whites in shops and in other places where we encountered them, and the poverty. All these things had their influence on my young mind ... and by the time I went to Orlando West High School, I was already beginning to question the injustice of the society ... and to ask why nothing was being done to change it. It is true that I was trained in the use of weapons and explosives. The basis of my training was in sabotage, which was to be aimed at institutions and not people. I did not wish to add unnecessarily to the grievous loss of human life that had already been incurred. It has been suggested that our aim was to annihilate the white people of this country; nothing could be further from the truth. The ANC is a national liberation movement committed to the liberation of all the people of South Africa, black and white, from racial fear, hatred and oppression. I am married and have one child, and would like nothing more than to have more children, and to live with my wife and children with all the people in this country. One day that might be possible - if not for me, then at least for my brothers."

"President Zuma‚ from being a child‚ never had a chance‚ because of the situation in this country‚ even to go to school. But he was educated the ANC way. ... President Zuma‚ out of the top six positions‚ [was the only person to occupy] most of those positions – deputy secretary general‚ national chairperson‚ deputy president and now president. ... It shows love‚ respect and adoration. [Zuma's leadership within the ANC was] a long‚ beautiful history but spoiled at the last moment. [The transition is peaceful, but painful also,] because this is telling somebody [that] your time is up when [he] should have known by himself that his time is up."

"I'm inspired by what's not been done before - bringing together fashion and original art."

"Nothing great ever happens in your comfort zone."

"Authenticity goes a long way, so keep being yourself and your art will speak for itself."

"The glass is either full or half empty. It’s all about your perception of life."

"Impossible is nothing."

"I decided I will fight them to the last drop of my blood, and I will show them that women are going to bring about change in South Africa, and we did."

"It is an individual choice you make in your life to make a difference. It is an individual choice to understand that my neighbour is not as privileged as I am. Extend your heart to those around you, and that is the democracy you should protect.It is an individual choice you make in your life to make a difference. It is an individual choice to understand that my neighbour is not as privileged as I am. Extend your heart to those around you, and that is the democracy you should protect."

"To those who oppose us, we say, Strike the woman, and you strike the rock."

"If you are to free yourselves you must break the chains of oppression yourselves. Only then can we express our dignity, only when we have liberated ourselves can we co-operate with other groups. Any acceptance of humiliation, indignity or insult is acceptance of inferiority."

"I’m not sorry. I will never be sorry. I would do everything I did again if I had to. Everything."

"It has never been about me, the person. I’ve never regarded myself as an individual, I’m just part of this whole liberation machine … I always talk about us - as we - because I’m just part of the whole collective."

"I wish to acknowledge Mama Winnie Madikizela Mandela for her efforts and steadfastness for standing with Tata Mandela before and during Tata's imprisonment and for being in the forefront of ANC's struggle for liberation."

"She is an admirable woman. Her husband, one of the leaders of the African National Congress, is imprisoned for life on our Devil's Island. As for Winnie, she never gave up the struggle. She is put in and out of prison constantly. For example, she was arrested after the events of Soweto because she had organized, in collaboration with other blacks, an association of parents that seemed, at first, insignificant but quickly became extremely important. This organization strove to eliminate the estrangement that had developed between the young blacks, who had revolted, and the older generation. This is one of the very serious problems facing the black community today, this gap between the generations. The young accuse their parents: "You allowed yourselves to become discouraged; you were afraid to take risks. Us, we are not afraid. We demonstrate; we confront the guns; we want to fight." And they radicalized their elders in an extraordinary manner. By speaking out in favor of the action of the young people, Winnie Mandela, thanks to her eminence, certainly influenced a part of the black community that until then had been traumatized by the acts of the young. That is the reason she was judged and condemned. When she is not in prison, she is placed under house arrest and thus prevented from moving about or working. For a while after the rebellions, the government permitted her to live in Soweto in her house but basically forbade her to leave or to receive anyone there. Then they did something even more horrible; they exiled her to a small village deep in the countryside. It is there that she is living at present. And the only news published about her appears when those who brave the interdiction visit her and get caught."

"He (Nelson Mandela) walked like a man who does not take the earth for granted. He took one step after another with obvious care and delight. Right next to him, Winnie Mandela stayed close, attuned and alert, and radiant."

"She was a defining symbol of the struggle against apartheid. She refused to be bowed by the imprisonment of her husband, the perpetual harassment of her family by security forces, detentions, bannings and banishment. Her courageous defiance was deeply inspirational to me, and to generations of activists."

"She suffered so much bringing up her two girls when @NelsonMandela was in prison: beaten up banned banished to remote Brandfort harassed imprisoned. Fearless defiant in face apartheid state. Remember that when correctly criticising her rogue later life"

"We believe human rights should be available to everybody equally and not to some, and that if we say that we’re committed to freedom, human rights, and democracy, it doesn’t mean to a particular country or people. It means all over. So we try to espouse that perspective."

"Blacks tend to still be a minority within the robust areas of the economy. They don’t own land. They don’t own shares in businesses. So we’ve got to change that because we cannot really live with a history where the majority are poor forever."

"The notion of international rules is very comfortable for some people to use when it suits them but they don’t believe in international rules when it doesn’t suit them because they don’t apply international rules or law equally in all circumstances."

"You can’t say because Ukraine has been invaded that suddenly sovereignty is important, but it was never important for Palestine. It’s very peculiar. If you believe in international law, truly, then wherever sovereignty is infringed it must apply and this is the point we’ve been making, that we use the framework of international law unequally depending on who is affected, and we are arguing that that must change."

"We’ve got to rethink the multilateral system, ensure it’s more fair, more open, transparent, and democratic."

"Your power must lie in the degree to which everybody feels represented.your power lies in you having authority over everybody and bullying you’re not really powerful. You’re a bully."

"this real crime against humanity."

"We are appalled at how this horror and tragedy that is unfolding continues to get worse and worse. I think the world has seen enough, and it is time for the most powerful in the world to put a stop to this horror that Israel is unfolding against the people of Palestine."

"We would have anticipated that the ICC would react much earlier because thousands of people have been mowed down."

"We know people cannot own property, [and] that property can be seized without any compensation, which is what we experienced in our own country. People have to carry identity documents that reflect your ethnicity rather than citizenship. All of this is part of the apartheid feature."

"“We are therefore challenged by the generation of 1976, as this law-making body, to transform through democratic means the institutions of power in our society that continue to resist and reproduce inequality and social difference.""

"As an activist legislature, our immediate task is to refashion and reengineer all our efforts to ensure clear government response to these pressing challenges."

"She also stated that the legislature would continue to involve the public in the processes and programmes of the legislature through public hearings, petition processes, sector parliaments, sittings of the house and initiatives such as Taking the Legislature to the People.""

""In light of the financial constraints and budget cuts faced by the legislature, we shall continue with more cost-curtailment measures and a reprioritization of programmes,”"

"She won’t pay the money as the ministerial booklet allowed her to the benefit."

"I will not pay back the money as I am entitled to those benefits. I do not know why only me being brought forward before the committee while there are other MECs who did the same, but they are not questioned."

"thumb|VIP Tour (42783146420)The ANC’s stance against “apartheid Israel” did not mean that the ANC was “anti-Jew”."

"We are open to engage with the Israeli government and with everyone and anyone. It’s just that we have an arrogant embassy and leadership of Israel in South Africa that never wants to engage with the African National Congress, that never wants to engage with a civil society in South Africa to an extent where they will get the police to come and stop people from submitting a memorandum.”"

"What you see happening in Israel happens daily in Palestine, and cameras are not there.”"

"“We have said we must condemn the occupation of the Palestinian land by Israel, we must condemn the bombing of men and women in Palestine and even here it is Hamas it’s not the people of Palestine."

"You need to also appreciate who contributed to the formation of Hamas. It’s the same as the issues of NATO because if the international law and our messaging becomes inconsistent, then you can’t then want the ANC to just bash Hamas. Hamas is not a representative of the people of Palestine and then ANC continues to say we stand with the people of Palestine."

"“Here you have [Benjamin] Netanyahu, who says I’m going to crash Gaza, I’m going to hunt for these people and retaliate and nobody’s saying you must go to the ICC. But we’re all quick to have condemned Gaddafi and we were all too quick to say comrade Putin has to go to the ICC, how inconsistent. We must put the blame on Netanyahu and more importantly on the United Nations."

"thumb|Ms. Nomvula Mokonyane, Minister of Water and Sanitation, South Africa (33142724886) (cropped)We’re not anti Jewish. We’re not anti Jews. We’re not, it’s not the position of the ANC. We are anti terrorism against innocent people, we are anti the hostile takeover of people’s land. We are anti anything that stands in the way of self determination by any nation.”"

"As the ANC we are prepared to talk to anyone and everyone. The issue is about whether all those people are committed towards a negotiated peace settlement,”"

"“We can’t then not talk about the inconsistencies of the application of the international law and the ICC, why is Tony Blair not in the ICC?”"

"What we have done also as the national executive committee is to say issues of international relations are going to be organisational issues and it will not just be about international solidarity, it must be around trade."

"“It must be about the overall geopolitics and we must have an official who locates international relations as the day to day responsibility of the ANC and make it understandable to our constituencies as well as society at large. We don’t just pronounce and not engage,”"

"I think all of us have been yearning to have a structure of the ANC Youth League because for the past elections and also just in the course of the implementation of our programmes, you could actually feel the void of the ANC Youth League,""

"The ANC was not “anti-Jewish” despite its opposition to “apartheid Israel.”"

"But the march was “canned” after a decision by national officials in what insiders’ claim was an attempt to “frustrate and isolate”"

"“As for the bigger agenda to isolate and frustrate me, I think I am not in the space of feeding into dubious characters obsessed with malice,”"

"The march to the US Consulate was “canned and not cancelled” because of events that were happening, including the memorial service of the late spook Billy Masetlha."

"There is no cultural boycott against Israel, and we continue to trade with Israel, and we are concerned about the inconsistencies about not complying with the UN resolutions. We believe it is within the rights of Orlando Pirates to play because they are in a league with 30 other teams, including a team from Palestine. FIFA rules govern them, and a call at this moment might be comprised."

"This is a reminder that there must be discourse around a cultural boycott, including the grapes and vegetables we get from Israel. There must be a time when we become aggressive towards Israel,""

"I’ve never received anything as stated by Mr. Agrizzi. We all know that a house like this one cannot have a storage to keep all these items, even those that came on site. I’m sure they didn’t find any strong room or a fridge or whatever freezer that could keep this, nor do I have a place where I could keep these kinds of items,”"

"There was an instant when our alarm was going off and because of that, I was not home, nor was my service provider available because they were out in the field ... [My PA] was asked by my husband [to contact Bosasa] because they were the only people he knew could come and assist - just to come and check what was going on.”"

"“When my daughter returned from China, she was invited by Gavin, who has known her as a little girl, long before the positions of government. Gavin had an interest in understanding some of the issues he would have to deal with when it comes to businesses in China. That has been their arrangement. She was offered that.”"

"The fundraising committee and the treasurer-general, together with those responsible for organising, come together and identify the needs. The treasurer of the ANC is the one who will go out and identify those that have to be approached. Others voluntarily come forward and say 'we want to endorse your manifesto, how can we lend a hand?"

"There is no other reason [for leaving the DA] than the poverty levels in this province‚ I have to admit‚ [and] that is why it had not been an easy decision to make"

"I wanted to go to the ANC to see if they can turn things around"

"The DA lacks action on poverty, that’s why I left"

"On the other hand, President Cyril Ramaphosa brings with him fresh hope."

"I told him I want nothing but to serve the poor and the marginalised."

"When I left the ANC [in 2008] there was no direction and a lot of corruption, but now we have the chance to turn things around"

"The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) has a bold strategy to accelerate South Africa's transition to renewable energy and align the country’s energy policies with international climate commitments"

"This year, we took a significant step forward with the signing of the Climate Change Act into law. This legislation does not merely serve as a guideline; it enshrines our emissions reduction trajectory into statute"

"It is our firm belief as government that climate action must support our national imperatives to address poverty, inequality, and unemployment"

"Women's Day is a moment to reflect on the strides we have made towards gender equality. It is also a time to acknowledge the challenges that persist"

"Despite facing numerous barriers, they have proven that with equal opportunities, women can excel and lead in any field"

"The democratic constitution removed legal barriers that were designed to stop women from participating in the economy, and mining in particular such as the South African Minerals Act of 1991 prohibited women from working underground"

"It is a great pleasure for me to form part of this engagement on our country’s journey towards a sustainable future."

"You are the village it takes to raise a child"

"when you are deployed to a particular space like the provincial government sphere, you are humbled by the fact that you are one of the chosen few to be mandated to represent your organisation in government."

"I believe that the only way of changing theeconomy of our province is to ensure that development targets the rural space, and agriculture is one sector that can assist with that"

"Whilst government has continued to put in place interventions like addressing load shedding, resolving transport and logistics challenges, the economy is not growing as expected"

"Henceforth, the scale at which the partnership between government and business is to be elevated, there is much hope that we will see a turn on economic growth yielding to job creation"

"We remain deeply concerned about the high unemployment rate of 33.5% among South Africans, particularly affecting our youth"

"Twenty-thousand interns will shortly be appointed as labour inspectors to ensure that businesses are complying with employment equity legislation."

"There are many first-time and dejected voters that we want to persuade to vote for our party."

"we are expected to come out with a blueprint to help our party win the local government elections”."

"The conference will not only focus on electing leaders, but will also deliberate our role in the coming local government elections."

"the ANC wishes to caution against any statements or actions that may inflame emotions or undermine the principled position the organisation has taken"

"He must also recognise that his role as leader of one of the largest youth movements in South Africa comes with very large responsibilities and that his behaviour at all times should reflect that of a leader and not of a thug."

"The ANC should also be blamed because its youth league president is not yet groomed from secondary school level politics to tertiary level politics. He is being thrown into the deep end"

"And the reason for this is for us to appreciate that even though we are far apart, we are one people and there’s a lot that we can achieve as one people."

"women are innovators and creators of wealth. There is nowhere in the world that does not have the hand of a woman involved; this goes right up to the fact that all of us are born of a woman."

"It has also been a beautiful experience to learn about the diverse cultures of Singapore at a depth that cannot be attained by merely visiting as a tourist. The summary of my work is best captured by my 7Cs or what I call my mantra in life:"

"Building a strong and inclusive economy, improving capabilities of South Africans, and building a capable, ethical, and developmental state. In a nutshell, using our presence in Singapore to existential domestic challenges."

"Success can beget success, and celebrating at work helps to build momentum, improve morale, and make the hard times feel all the more worth it.”"

"Through this principle we are able to determine and prioritise collective highest impact tasks and increase productivity thereby achieving priorities we have set for ourselves."

"I believe that when we work together, we are powerful and better able to effect change."

"women are able to achieve solidarity of purpose to represent women’s interests when they achieve certain levels of representation."

"the interests of men and women are different and even conflicting and therefore women are needed in representative institutions to articulate the interests of women"

"women’s experiences are different from men’s and need to be represented in discussions that result in policy making and implementation. These different experiences mean that women ‘do politics’ differently from men."

"the equal representation of women and men enhances democratisation of governance in both transitional and consolidated democracies."

"Gender equality and women’s empowerment remain central tenets for development in the country, the continent and across the world. However, the nagging claws of gender inequality in the continent continue to impede women from contributing to the development agenda and lending their voice as they are precluded from many development-oriented conversations."

"The Global South must stand united in our fight for a fair and just climate response. We cannot allow the powerful nations who have historically benefited from the very industries that have caused this crisis, to dictate the terms of our transition."

"Decent work for all workers As we move towards green economies, we must ensure new jobs are good jobs,that offer dignity, fair wages, and security for workers and their families.."

"Social protection and support for affected workers and communities Workers in at risk industries must be supported, including through reskilling opportunities, economic support, and access to new jobs."

"Energy democracy and ownership We must ensure that the shift to renewable energy does not simply transfer powerfrom one set of elites to another."

"Let us build solidarity across borders, industries and movements. The future is in our hands. We dare not stop until justice, equality and sustainability prevail."

"There is nothing concrete about the protests and service delivery is not an issue in Koster,’’ she said. “I openly accept what happened because I know that they are just personal attacks and nothing more"

"The burnt guest house belongs to me and the other guest house and the rooms for rental are also mine"

"One of the vehicles torched at the guest house belonged to a guest. Two of the five cars burnt at home belong to me. One is borrowed, another belongs to security and one to a municipal official"

"I am not corrupt. There are challenges in Koster and yes we could have done better with some services like electricity but I have served my people honestly."

"Education is the foundation for this country to move forward. Without education everyone is going to suffer, so I have no alternative, I have got to do this.""

"When I go to schools now I don't make appointments, and I don't start at the principal's office. I go to the classrooms to see for myself first before word goes around that the MEC is visiting"

"The primary schools can also get exposure to science, because the money is there. Why not use it"

"One of the things we did was to look at the subjects in which learners performed badly. We prioritised them and gave specific training and support to educators to make sure we would see an improvement"

"What ought to happen at the primary schools is that those teachers must give the foundation in reading, but usually that doesn't happen,""

"I had to make sure that the cabinet approved farmer support policy so that it guides the entirety of the sector and provinces."

"Another challenge is how to position agriculture to adapt quickly in addressing issues of climate change. It is not just about El Niño or La Niña when there are rains or floods. It’s also about new pests and diseases that are emerging and that is a challenge we are working on."

"Challenges I faced, on one hand, have been to try and continue with the work that has been done in the past, to resolve some of those where some of the projects were not complete, and complete them. Even though some of them are still outstanding because of the complexities that are there."

"Food security is achieved through the capacity to produce and, at the same time, it’s the purchasing power to be able to acquire that food."

"The grants that social development gives for social relief, as well as the normal grants given to the elderly and the children and disabled are interventions as part of the social security net so that people do not go hungry."

"Sometimes support to farmers is not only financial but also about enabling them through the information that will position them better in accessing markets, and what they need to do in terms of the compliance issues that they have to address."

"On our side, assisting farmers with inputs so that on a small-scale level they can produce for their household is one of the bedrocks that support food security."

"I engage rural women on their struggles as women because during my tenure as chairperson of the Multi-Party Women’s Caucus, I and the leadership of the ANC in the Eastern Cape managed to address the challenge of "ukuthwala” (forced marriage of young girls) where at one point we managed to return young girls who had been taken from Flagstaff."

"Though I am new to that regional office, what I have already gotten involved in is mediating and being the bridge between the youth and traditional leaders in the region as this has been a consistently thorny issue where politics intersect with traditional authority."

"None of that mischief can ever be attributed to the ANC as learning that takes place within the ANC would never produce such ill-discipline. At committee level, work gets achieved as all political parties participate robustly."

"Why have I not engaged with him? We are not friends; we were comrades who worked together at a particular time"

"I did not protect Zuma] because he was a person I worked with in my political party or that he was perhaps an ANC person"

"It was on the basis of the house rules that I was implementing decisions. I have no regrets"

"When I took a decision at the point at which the Constitutional Court had said it is up to Parliament to decide whether the method of voting on a particular time, in a particular motion against the president whether it should be private or it should be open. And I said it should be open. People were surprised because I was supposedly this stooge of Jacob Zuma"

"We are in a moment where we are reflecting soberly. This is something touched upon on the road, get out of caucus room because South Africa is much bigger than the caucus room"

"Part of the challenge we have is that part of that is actually government property, which was for ensuring that there are health facilities nearby for the president to be able to be looked after"

"We can’t blame the problems of South African society on the ANC. Criminality has been in SA for more than three centuries, especially after the colonialists came and brought crime from Europe to Africa, so you can't say the ANC brought criminality"

"very worried” about the xenophobic attacks and, to rectify the situation, President Cyril Ramaphosa had apologised to Zimbabweans during former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe's funeral"

"On the 29th of May, the ANC will win overwhelmingly, and this is a promise we are making. It does not matter who [Zuma] did it or whether his move [MK Party] scared us and confused us."

"I don’t want to comment on something that I haven’t done research on. I wouldn’t want to be influenced by any scholar"

"‘I can’t make a comment. They must have been relevant or they would never have been written.They did not contribute towards peace, which is why she posed the question."

"This learner was born in a free and democratic South Africa, so this is unexpected. It is shocking. It is disappointing. It is hurtful that he can spew such remarks. This needs the attention of authorities at the highest level. It cannot be tolerated.""

"Considering the painful history of racism and discrimination in South Africa, our country has taken a zero-tolerance to such behaviour and utterances. We need urgent action on the matter."

"The committee calls on parents, communities, organisations, and schools to increase programmes and engagements on life skills to stem such behaviour. Raising well-rounded children is the responsibility of all of us."

"The committee notes that this relates to one of the clauses that the President put on hold for three months. We look forward to the engagement on this but continue to call for the full implementation of the Bill."

"Through the Electoral Amendment Bill, we are sending a clear message to our people that we shall spare no effort in our endeavour to protect their rights to dignity and equality, as entrenched in sections 10 and 19 of the Constitution"

"The universality of the franchise is important not only for nationhood and democracy. The vote of each and every citizen is a badge of dignity and of personhood"

"It is against this background that I commend clause 6 of the Bill before the House, which substitutes section 33 of the Act, to provide for the commission to allow a person to apply for and cast a special vote prior to the election day*"

"I will recall with fulfilment that the representatives of the aspirations of our people did not only repeal laws that were inconsistent with our Constitution, but passed laws which not only freed our people from the shackles of apartheid, but also restored the dignity of the downtrodden and empowered the vulnerable"

"The dignity of our people has been restored and women released to pursue more fulfilling ventures"

"Hon members, I shall never forget how I was part of the team in the history of our people, the team that ensured that South Africa, our beloved country, became much better than it was before 1994"

"It would be nice to see some kind of retribution. But just a recording of their crimes, in my opinion, is one step towards people much later looking back and seeing that human life at one stage, despite our Constitution, is treated cheaply, especially if you’re poor and don’t have access."

"I think it’s very sad to see that people who have basically abused human rights on a gross level such as this are being rewarded."

"If you’re rich and have support from your cronies, there things are going well. It’s shocking,’"

"Women must take their rightful place"

"Women don’t want to be patronised, they want to be recognised for what they do.”"

"South African women are assertive and are rising to the challenge. Women all over the world are taking their rightful place."

"For me, the proof is in the pudding. I think I have earned [the South African people’s] respect"

"men and women [who will] enlist and be deployed.” Women are particularly encouraged to join the forces"

"One embarrassing thing to a man is when a woman minister asks him, ‘Why do you have to do that? Why do you need to lose everything you have invested in over the years?’ Much as I am a minister, I am also a mother"

"I let the spirit of the constitution manifest in the vision and work of my ministry."

"All South African troops going on peacekeeping missions must undergo a rigorous SEA training. There is not a single soldier who does not know what sexual exploitation and abuse is and what the consequences are,”"

"We will never accept any principal taking action against an employee who reports a criminal offence,”"

"Very seldom nowadays will you find people doing anything if there is no reward."

"The man visited me in Khayelitsha yesterday morning and I could not believe when he said he wanted to donate such a large sum of money to support my family. When I received the cheque, I cried and screamed ‘yoo yoo’ in disbelief."

"When I found out last week that I no longer had a job, I cried and so did my children. I thought I had to go from door to door to beg for food for my children, as I did before I worked,”"

"It's scary, but that is the nature of politics. The history of the organisation motivates us. I believe the ANC has a future and we must fight against the scourge of killings to advance democracy."

"The elected leadership must be protected. There are internal structures and the party's constitution that must be utilised rather than resorting to killings."

"We will not be intimidated by such incidents because it means there will be no leaders in future as those who kill will have it their way, which compromises democracy."

"The bullying issue and gangsterism are also our issues, I have worked with the provincial government to address and intervene in those cases,”"

"Our municipalities have enough land for human settlement, however, without proper water and sanitation the government cannot build houses there. We understand that we can not do it all overnight but we have made progress in that regard."

"What we get from the community is that people want the land to farm and the relationship with farmers gets worse each day."

"All I do is according to the rules, that has helped me a lot to gain confidence and be able to command the council. We emphasise the importance of respect among each other and we advance democracy."

"According to reports, the bus drove over a roundabout, the last traffic circle from Makhado toward Polokwane, at a high speed, lost control and overturned, killing and injuring its passengers in the process"

"The bus driver is reportedly new in his job and not familiar with the surroundings. The scene has been cleared, and the injured passengers have been taken to various hospitals in Makhado"

"We condemn this senseless and inhumane act in the strongest possible terms. In the same vein, there is a relief in that three suspects were arrested following this harrowing ordeal and are undergoing court proceedings. I am confident the evidence at our disposal will be sufficient to send these criminals in custody to face the full might of the law"

"Each time they are involved in road crashes, we see a high number of casualties. These crashes are usually caused by recklessness and general disobedience of road safety regulations"

"We were quite calm about it. We had been forewarned that it was going to be rougher than usual."

"Every time I am thrown into a situation, I just say to myself: ‘I now need to understand the rules of this situation endingena kuso (which I am entering into) and take it from there.’"

"Sometimes South Africa must not be scared to go back. Were we right when we outlawed [corporal] punishment for children at home and at school?"

"I am not judging because the story is still unfolding and you don’t know if there are exaggerations."

"These three contribute to violence against children and women. For me, that is something which, if ever I retire, I would want to give my life to preventing."

"I sometimes laugh when members of Parliament have a party line and you can see the difference between the mouth and the eyes. You see someone is saying something but doesn’t really believe it."

"When you do not retain people, you create a situation where there is too much competition, where it is a case of: ‘I feel I need to impress my party bosses. I must be loud and prove that I can denigrate the other parties better.’"

"More often, if it is men, they will start off by clearing their throat. Then you know that this is a party line and not a personal conviction.”"

"The Committee welcomes the fact that Minister has agreed that once the report was released to the public, the Committee would get a detailed briefing and could then discuss the report at a meeting.”"

"Regarding the licensing of educators, the Committee heard that the department was working with the South African Council for Educators (SACE) to professionalise teaching through standard setting and the strengthening of the induction of new teachers."

"The proposal is to provide newly qualified teachers with provisional registration. In conjunction with the department, SACE is working on introducing a policy on professional standards."

"The Committee looks forward to the release of the final report on the “Jobs for Cash” so it can interrogate the issue and put the matter to bed that has been the thorn in the flesh of the education sector as a whole. The Committee will continue to keep an eye all issues discussed to monitor the progress,"

"I am passionate about youth development and as a person who has always been an activist, I’ve always been about seeing young people using their gift to empower themselves into bettering their lives to contribute to society."

"It’s about hard work, sacrificing family time, always making sure that you do more with less and making sure that you change the lives of people. So, the uncertainty was there – you ask yourself whether it was the right decision or not."

"Sport can create jobs, contribute to the economy and deal with several social ills that we have in our communities. That is why when this opportunity was presented to me, I accepted it with both hands because I understood the role that I had to play as an MEC."

"The uncertainty also creeps in when you start asking yourself questions on whether the work that was started was going to continue without you. I’ve already made up my mind that I needed a new path and a path that would make me grow not only as a politician, but as Onicca as a whole."

"I had to make sure that it was not just about me but about catering to various people and their pallets. I finally met with the head chef for Green Lounge who was also equally passionate but not very keen about healthy eating."

"Everything that we need for healing, God has provided. After the whole world was taken by storm by the pandemic, I had to sit down and figure out what I could do as an individual with the gift of healing that God has given me."

"We had to combine both our skills with me being a nutritionist and getting a chef who has been working in five-star restaurants in the US. It was a good combination for the times when I am being overly sensitive about the health aspect of things."

"There are numerous barriers, I mean the issue of funding was a challenge for me. The business was almost self-funded. The biggest challenge is always the issue of access to funding more than anything."

"Women are lagging in terms of leading in the hospitality industry. We need to encourage women to take up space because the future is female."

"The ingredient for excellence is that I teach my staff exceptionalism. I have gone to tons of restaurants, and this is what I’ve always been teaching. I used to tell my staff that many people start catering because it’s a business that does not have a lot of challenges. So what kept us in the industry for such a long time is because of what I call exceptionalism and being able to be different in your offering, in your approach and paying close attention to detail."

"We should not allow a situation where people can challenge Parliament when it is doing its duty. An inquiry might take too long. My opinion is to use a shortcut – go straight to Zuma – for the sake of the country,"

"moving forward, a much more stringent process must be exercised when choosing people for an asset such as the public broadcaster."

"If oversight is not done properly, including respecting the Broadcasting Act in as far as the SABC is concerned, it leads to a lot of problems"

"I wish the portfolio committee well in dealing with this task. The shortest process is for the president to get members of the board to step down and then constitute an interim board"

"I met serious challenges beyond what I can carry and therefore cannot successfully deliver the mandate vested in me to the best of my abilities.”"

"A lot can be achieved when a committee understands what it has to do, which is to ensure that government accounts. It is not always easy for the parties to agree."

". I did a lot of work on culture and women’s issues when I was still in Lusaka, trying to establish what support we could get from the Nordic countries. We had clothes collected for cadres in the residences of ANC all across Africa. Some of the clothes also went to the soldiers in the camps. We were maintained in that way."

"Their responsibility was to take care of the children's needs with clothes. On the medical and nutrition levels, I remember that a course was put together which was tailored for those who were going to take care of our children."

". It was an introduction on how to take care of an infant when you do not have all the resources. I know, because immediately after that I benefited from the same experience when my daughter was born with lots of allergies. I had to get the knowledge from people who had gone through that course."

"We needed child care facilities to be able to keep our children while we were at work. Otherwise most of us would never have had the opportunity of going to school, taking part in the process of running ANC offices or being part of the military structures."

"At times it also assisted us to cater for casualties, such as unplanned pregnancies, where a young mother still wanted to pursue her schooling"

"It was very important and we are appreciative of that experience. We also did a lot of work around women’s programmes."

"I was editor of the ANC women’s journal, Voice of Women, for some time and I remember that our publication was funded at some stage by SIDA. It enabled us to produce and distribute the bulletin, both internationally and internally through our underground structures."

"There is the Trinity – God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. But others think there is also God Stella."

"I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to make my mark in terms of serving the people of this country. I’m prepared to make enemies."

"But the two things I’m committed to are that I shouldn’t undermine the Constitution of this country and I shouldn’t steal from the poor. From there, nobody is going to stop me for as long as I don’t do those two things."

"Everything that I do seeks to improve the lives of the people in this country. Unfortunately, the methodology and the tactics to do that may make others uncomfortable."

"All I know is that I serve at the pleasure of the president. If tomorrow he doesn’t want me, I will go."

"it’s important that as science and innovation ... we provide a market for them. If we do not have confidence in the people of South Africa and their innovations, who’s going to have confidence [in them]? You find that many local innovations are sold back to us [as foreign concepts]."

"That tells you that in the department you need a new skill set, but also you have to reconfigure the mandates of the entities."

"I’m the minister of technology. I’m here to disrupt the status quo. I’m not here to make people comfortable."

"I’m looking at a futuristic department that will be responsive in ensuring that it delivers on the mandate that the president wants."

"Please officials ensure that all the support that the department is constitutionally responsible to provide, is provided before the parents of children who are at schools go to their graves with bitterness that you didn’t do what you were supposed to do.”"

"Although transportation of children is still a challenge, but the delegates heard that the department is beginning to provide transport to children who stay far away from schools."

"School principals and members of school governing bodies also complained about the unavailability of water at schools, a challenge they said is historical and have lost hope on the department that it will ever resolve it."

"The people of South Africa can expect the EFF to give a practical and implementable solution to all their challenges"

"It’s been 30 years into democracy and we have seen a regression on the infrastructure development of our people in general, so the answer lies with the founding manifesto of the EFF which talks about the seven cardinal pillars, with the first being the expropriation of the land. We stand true to the course of land because at the centre of our struggle is the issue of land. For you to talk about the building of infrastructure, you need to have the land"

"We must remove the ANC. People of South Africa, Julius Malema is the incumbent president of the country and he is coming to deliver the manifesto today"

"We are removing the DA, we are removing the ANC. We are going straight to be number one. We are sending Julius Malema to the union buildings"

"The EFF is going to grow. Our growth is going to be exponential, it’s going to grow more than any other party in Mpumalanga"

"We appreciate the quick response time from our team and the co-ordination between the emergency health workers who were able to respond as quickly as we expected them to. Had that not happened, we don’t know what the outcome would have been."

"So, we really appreciate the work that they have done. We would also like to send our condolences to the families of the nine comrades who have tragically lost their lives during the accident, and we want to say, we are keeping them in our prayers"

"Over the years, Mpumalanga has made remarkable strides in reducing the burden of malaria. From 2017 to 2023, we witnessed a 78% reduction in local malaria cases, a testimony of the effectiveness of interventions such as indoor residual spraying. This success reflects the dedication, hard work and collaboration among all stakeholders involved in the fight against malaria."

"It was a deliberate move to have taken people from those communities to be the sprayers there. If the people know you as a community member, they will be comfortable with you entering their intimate spaces. We would also like to reiterate that in order for us to run a successful malaria indoors spraying campaign, our operators need the support and co-operation of all the community members whose households they will visit. By allowing our spray operators into our homes, we have taken a patriotic step to reduce malaria transmission and fatalities, and to accelerate the battle to achieve zero local transmissions of malaria"

"Before we extend the hours or make a centre to operate for 24 hours, we start by monitoring various issues, including the state of the area and where it is located. In Bushbuckridge there are three zones; north, midland and mid-south. In these areas there are 24-hour clinics and they have hospitals. Some of these areas have two clinics operating for 24 hours."

"Pregnant women who would like to deliver their babies should come to this centre and not travel to the hospital, as the services are available here. Let them know that everything is prepared and the facility is ready, especially for them"

"During these 100 days, we've received more than 250 complaints on a daily basis from communities regarding water security issues. Most complaints are about related functions from municipalities"

"We're satisfied that the ministry and the department addressed pressing challenges during the 100 days. We'll continue working with all stakeholders to address these challenges"

"This is a self-inflicted pain by the municipalities of Gauteng, because we warned the municipalities of Gauteng as early as June to take care of their water infrastructure, as they are losing lots of water"

"Surely we don’t want to be counted when there’s a war on water, so there must be a reference that says we did our part to save the continent from going to war due to lack of access to water"

"In the next AWW, we must step up our game and make sure that all the resolutions taken here are implemented. The time for talking is over"

"The only shortcoming I observed is that I was the only Minister of Water who is a woman. There is a lack of gender representation in this sector to the extent that there was no dedicated section dealing with the struggles that confront women"

"What we (South Africa) brought boldly to the fore is the need for water to be a priority on every panel. We learned a lot, but they also learned a lot from from us. We were not here just to absorb, but also to share"

"Specific work has already taken place, which include the upgrading of water treatment works, upgrading of raw water pumps, construction of new water reservoirs and the drilling and equipping of boreholes"

"The functions of the NWRIA will include the financing, development, operations and maintenance of the national water resource infrastructure and the treaty and non-treaty functions performed by the TCTA. Processes are now underway to manage the establishment of the agency"

"I’m not sure if I would have done things differently. I should have looked into them and their registration but they were registered with the Financial Services Board, which I thought was sufficient to prove they are in the finance business. Like any other [due] diligence in getting a loan, I should’ve thought better than I did.”"

"It is difficult for a person who looks like me to get a loan in the South African economy. It’s difficult to get a loan and start a business as an African child without any form of assistance. There are so many brilliant dreams and ideas that black young people have but there’s no financing for them."

"I don’t know who they were involved with. The only way to get to know where Gundo has invested will be through a section 52 report, which comes every three months to update the council about the status of its investments, if there are any. That’s how I could’ve known about their investments. In terms of the names of the people, I don’t know and I’ve never met them."

"Terrorism continues to challenge the international community and no country can regard itself as immune from this threat as recent events both on our continent and further afield have shown."

"This challenge is especially felt in situations of instability, which have created the space for terrorist groups to thrive and operate with impunity depriving innocent civilians of security, human dignity and peace."

"Terrorism in any form and from whichever quarter cannot be condoned. South Africa stands firm with the international community in condemning all acts of terrorism."

"South Africa has always held the view that countries cannot face this challenge alone and it is important that we pool our resources to counter this threat."

"In dealing with the threat of terrorism it is important to understand what drives it and to address its root causes by developing appropriate strategies to prevent it and counter its impact."

"Funding of waste services is one of the areas that we need to put more energy in along with a need to maximize on efficient budgeting and utilisation of available resources sparingly. It is often a cry of local government that there are no funds to carry out waste delivery functions, often referred to as ‘unfunded mandates’. We are working closely with National Treasury to ensure that funds for waste management are allocated and that they are sufficient, however; local government has to put systems in place for efficient budgeting and be able to achieve more with less"

"These projects will generate approximately 2 536 work opportunities and 5 500 full-time equivalent opportunities, over two years. The beneficiaries of this programme will help in achieving the Government’s objective of responsible coastal management by contributing to the development and maintenance of coastal infrastructure along the coast. They will also assist municipalities in obtaining and maintaining blue flag status for their beaches, regular coastal clean-ups, as well as the removal of invasive alien vegetation"

"For many years Butterworth was one of the dirtiest towns in the country. The Department of Environmental Affairs through Environmental Protection and Infrastructure Programme have turned that situation around by declaring the War on Waste by implementing [these] projects"

"We have a lot of projects that we want youth to be involved in. We need to instil the passion, so that they can see this sector as another career path"

"The country is water scarce and in provinces such as Northern Cape, this is an issue of life and death. These plants are available everywhere in the world not only in South Africa"

"There are many alien plants and they are categorised according to its use. We have introduced biological control that can provide complete control of the problem, it reduces the need for using a chemical substance"

"I want to say to this House I did the best I could to do my job and if I made a mistake, I want to apologise.."

"It is very exiting for me to roll out broadband to those in the rural communities, particularly to help develop educational standards, in particular through our e-Skills Institute, as well as encourage small and medium enterprises to have a greater reach to their target markets."

"Without the ANC we would not be here. During the times when it was very difficult, the ANC was able to galvanise support from outside the country."

"We anticipate that by March 2012, the digital signal will cover more than 60% of the population."

"If I were to reach the end of my tenancy in 2014 and have all these schools connected, I will be happy."

"I relived the trauma of solitary confinement, but I am much relieved that I’ve achieved this."

"It was amazing to see the active engagement and this inspired me to try to start a discussion with my then torturer."

"Imagine if you were given a name by your parents to identify you, and someone took it away and replaced it with a number? It’s the worst thing for a human."

"No one can tell your story better than you, because you experienced it. I urge the veterans to pen your stories – tell your stories."

"Many people have passed without telling their stories. We will cement our history, like the statues we see of Jan van Riebeek and Cecil John Rhodes in the city, but no memories of our struggle heroes. Don’t let the free South Africa die with us."

"Those times we had proper allies and companionship. We did it for the love of our people. This country needs more love – we don’t have this now."

"We are still a young democracy and people are still very mad about many things. I believe we should transform as a society. We need to create a dialogue and space for people to talk about the trauma of the past and a space for the young people to read about it."

"Thank you for not forgetting who you are and where you come from."

"Your story will never be forgotten. We know the pain of our country and it needs us to be strong.The fight of the people will never die on our watch."

"There are many sad illustrations of the inadequacy of facilities for children with all forms of disabilities. We do not have enough facilities in Gauteng, for example, to cater for children with disabilities and that opens them to all kinds of abuse."

"While the committees have been vigilant in monitoring progress, it is envisaged that the handbook will provide MPs with information and tools that will help keep children, their rights, issues, needs and issues on the front burner inside and outside Parliament."

"legislators would find the handbook useful as they did oversight and that it would enhance their knowledge of children’s rights."

"Despite existing legislation and support services, recent incidents reported in the media of the rape of the most vulnerable children, those with disabilities, had shown that there was still significant room for improvement in applying children’s rights."

"To advance modernization in Africa, we need to look at our economic endowments and how it can unlock the huge development opportunities, which means creating a very positive business environment, improving the services to African people, and leveraging new technologies, including cleaner technologies around energy and the electrical vehicles."

"China is leading in these areas, so there is huge potential that we can strengthen our cooperation on advancing modernization."

"During my business trip to China by leading a delegation of 19 companies last year, I'm impressed that there was growing commitment among Chinese companies for partnership to work with local companies in Africa to strengthen cooperation in multiple fields, including new energy and the processing of agricultural products."

"We would also want to promote the relationship between our academic institutions as China has premier universities to skill our people to be able to manage the modernization and industrialization programs."

"We believe that cooperation between the two countries will further enable us to contribute more to the development of the Global South as well as the peace, stability and prosperity of the world at large."

"The three initiatives are very critical and will play an important role in promoting the development of African countries."

"We look forward to consolidating this relationship and taking it to the next level."

"Greater beneficiation in the mineral sector requires collaboration from all stakeholders in terms of, among other things, creating an enabling environment throughout the minerals and mining value chain."

"Beneficiation is crucial to ensure that the country maximises the benefits from its mineral resources, especially in terms of economic development and employment potential."

"In this regard appropriate skills development programmes should be put in place and integrated into the exploitation of the country’s mineral resources. Opportunities must also be made available for previously disadvantaged people, including women."

"The key concerns from the public mainly have to do with community issues and the adverse impact of environmental degradation, which were not addressed by the previous minerals act."

"The act promotes the concept of sustainable development in that it requires that social, economic and environmental factors are integrated in the planning of mines."

"The act promotes the concept of sustainable development in that it requires that social, economic and environmental factors are integrated in the planning of mines. Such an approach will require the development and implementation of appropriate social and labour plans as well as sustainable environmental management plans."

"We're pleading with owners of establishments that people go to in order to have a 'good time'... to enforce these regulations, because if we don't take them seriously, it could mean that in a few months' time, we could return to Lockdown Level 5. Then, we will not be able to go out because our infections will be growing."

"So, we really do not want this second wave of COVID-19 to come back, because we don't really know how strong it is. Stopping the second wave really is in our hands. We can make a huge difference by conducting ourselves properly, in a way that prevents the spread of the virus.""

"Shaun is an icon in our time. It is very inspiring to have shared these few precious moments with him today. The words that he shared are poignant with meaning as he not only understands the present but the relevance of the past"

"I am so impressed with having a young white person who shares the same hope for South Africa as I yearn for, and the same hope that my father lived and died for"

"Because he had become a nuisance to the regime. It’s recorded that they tried many ways of putting him out while he was alive so that he should not have a voice in the affairs of the country, but they failed"

"Now there was a powerful person and they could not stop him. As far as I’m concerned he (Luthuli) was buried alive because he was not allowed to go anywhere"

"The ANC needs to fire their president if they want to stay in power"

"Zuma was not elected by individuals but residents of the country. Therefore we cannot just fire him"

"We are very concerned about the generation we are leaving behind, it should be a generation that should know what to do for the country,” she said, commending Phansi museum on its efforts to make the youth aware of what was going on around them"

"Arts and Culture which allows us to know where we come from is not being taught at schools. I would like to encourage the youth to know that the birth of democracy and a new country did not mean that you were born free"

"We believe that this fund is a good initiative by the Department of Small Business Development to bolster the tourism sector, as it has been negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The committee has always held a view that financial and non-financial support to the SMMEs by government should be industry-specific in order to address the felt need in a particular sector."

"The committee will find a slot to invite both the department and Sefa to present their plans to implement the fund,”"

"I don’t know how it happened but I know that the community voted for me. I had won the area but on the day I was going to sign at the mayor’s office I couldn’t.”"

"I used to work so hard for [the ANC] here in Wonderkop. I helped at the community centre where people came with their disputes and problems and we would sort them out. Election time I was on the front line, giving my time and sleep,”"

"I know I am nothing but I will do good in Parliament. Even without an education, I know what people on the ground go through every day. I went through that all my life.”"

"These were young men I knew. Some of them had come to me for advice and we were building a community here together.”"

"Its aim is to provide additional and also niche financing where it is not available or forthcoming, notably for emerging markets and developing economies in sectors critical for attaining their developmental goals."

"Establishing a development bank is not a small endeavour which is why the leaders at the previous summit requested the ministers of finance to thoroughly investigate all the aspects around the possibility of forming such an institution."

"It is a work in progress as there are still many issues with respect to such a bank to sort out. One can expect further discussions and negotiations going forward."

"There are some hurdles, but these are being negotiated and I am confident that it will be resolved."

"There are certain sectors which both partners have identified as strategic industries and they both have to tread carefully when negotiating these."

"For I cannot lose sight of the reality that your presence here , represent the aspiration of millions of our people across the length and breadth of our province with their hope and trust on us as elected leaders to champion their cause."

"Therefore our MuniMec as a working session on matters relating to human settlement should engage on finding innovative measures of enhancing service delivery and eradication of poverty amongst our communities."

"For we are gathered within these four wall with the voice of reason, the voice of providing our community with decent settlement devoid of racial and class patterns, in fact the voice of humanity."

"We are to settle our people so that they experience decent housing as against the past human settlements patterns where the question of race, class and gender was the order of the day."

"It provides for mechanisms and procedures to facilitate the settlements of intergovernmental disputes and it also provides for matters connected there with."

"integration relates to a multi-sectoral approach that is coordinated with all different sectors operating in concert so that results in one area are re-enforced by achievements in another"

"It is within our shoulders as leaders gathered here that the goals we have set ourselves as outlined in our manifesto will be apprehended if we could set aside our differences and work in unity as partners within our scope of mandates."

"Pursuant to our desire for functional partnership, it is my humble appeal to our municipalities, who are often the coal face of service delivery, to effect sound management systems over housing subsidies management."

"When we restore the dignity of our people through human settlements, we do not only deliver a house, but quality houses with norms and standards to support the needs of the community including persons with disabilities. Moreover, we deliver human settlements with social amenities."

"The overcrowding in inner cities, dilapidated, neglected and hijacked buildings as well as continued spread of informal settlements are as a direct result of the stubbornness of the inhumane heritage of the apartheid- era spatial planning."

"These are but not limited to; unblocking of blocked projects, upgrading of informal settlements, eradication of asbestos roofing and mud-houses, and finally the social housing programmes that are aimed at transforming the inner cities and locating our communities closer to economic opportunities."

"We are deeply concerned about the deterioration of human settlements programmes in the Gauteng metros. Specifically, the City of Tshwane continues to underperform in human settlements grants. In the past three financial years, the City continued to forfeit unspent funds to the Revenue Fund."

"we celebrate our absolute right to property enshrined in our constitution, we are mindful of the Palestinian people in the struggle for their right to live and prosper in the land of their birth. We commend our government and the people of South Africa for taking resolute action in support of the Palestinian cause."

"As this department, we can boast of having established a women in Human Settlements Task Team which comprises of women stakeholders within the human settlements value chain."

"to improve efficiencies in responding to disasters, human settlements emergencies response has been centralised at the national department, including policy changes that emphasize use of alternative building technologies to respond to disasters in rural areas."

"As we build a viable provincial and municipal infrastructure for effective delivery of services to communities”, let us: “Count Her In. Invest in Women. Accelerate Progress."

"My mum will tell stories of me hiding behind her skirt when we went up the road to visit her closest friend, whose daughter was my best friend."

"And I wouldn’t go into the convenience store. Mum would pull up outside and ask if I would run in and get a loaf of bread. I would say: ‘Oh no, I won’t go in.’ I was way too shy.”"

"It’s having that full control over our destiny, our focus and not having to compete for capital. That allows us to prioritise what we think is important for our business in terms of capital, all our resources, operational expenditure, everything.”"

"There have been licences come up overseas, where they’ve been short term and the government wanted to retain control over lots of important elements, around what products you can have, whether you can change them and the retail network."

"Not doing your best and putting the utmost into it was not acceptable,"

"I’ve loved this industry for so long and am so passionate about it. People talk about lotteries as something that provides a lift in their day. [The lottery] gives people something to hope for and to look forward to."

"The majority of people in this industry are women but they mostly remain in entry level positions."

"“We have identified areas where we can work together on promotion, while we are also discussing issues of infrastructure and hotel grading."

"Within the South African Development Community we have finally finished restructuring our marketing and promotion entity; it now coordinates all 15 countries."

"It is a call to action for all South Africans, reminding them tourism is an important industry for their economy"

"The government has assigned the deputy prime minister to look into our state owned entities."

"My department is working with various other ministerial departments on joint ventures which will be beneficial for the tourism sector."

"We aim to encourage South African citizens to travel within their own country."

"She was instrumental in transforming the South African military by focusing on gender inclusivity and the wellbeing of veterans."

"Mapisa-Nqakula’s political journey was shaped by her early activism, especially her involvement in the ANC Women’s League."

"Her work has focused on improving the lives of disadvantaged South Africans, particularly women and military veterans."

"As a respected elder in the ANC, she will continue to be a key figure in the country’s political landscape."

"Her influence will likely remain in the areas of defense, women’s rights, and leadership."

"But if you must know I myself got pregnant before the age of 16 and quickly got another baby when I was 16 and I disappointed my grandmother who was taking care of us through hardship."

"focus on education."

"Look here I am today, a minister and have actively participated in the liberation of the country."

"If I did it, you can do it too and work your way up towards reuniting with your families and playing a meaningful role in society"

"At the end of the day we go back to the trenches as women to see where it is we didn’t go right to ensure that we got more women."

"The main reason why we keep pushing for women is that we believe as women we have the capacity and capability to be in a leadership position of the African National Congress."

"We want to see more women in the leadership structures."

"They’ve vanished, we’ve managed to get ahold of them and then we spoke to them wanting some answers and they vanished into thin air"

"I don’t think we should be embarrassed because as a country a mistake happened while we were trying"

"Once again, President Mandela lived beyond his grave to actually remind all of us that as we communicate and as we speak, there are those that we exclude every single day"

"Official: Signer’s company ‘vanished’,Lucy McCalmont, (12/12/2013) retrieved 2025-April 2025"

"Let's not sit about waiting for enough evidence while women and children are dying. Evidence and research must find us in the process of action"

"Women are not only victims, but also contributors. We raise angry boys. We are all equally guilty"

"Social development deputy minister says women are 'equally responsible' for gender-based violence Unathi Nkanjeni ,(05 December 2019)retrieved 2025-04-04"

"We should listen to young people in Africa, they are Africa's greatest resource. ‘We should use their ideas, empower them with education, and invest heavily in young entrepreneurs"

"My grandmother had taught us to say goodbye when we went to the shop in town, because we never knew if we would come back or not. We use to say ‘If you don’t see me, check me at number four"

"Together we can do more to protect and make human rights real. Together we can do more to build a better future we can all be proud of as a nation united in its diversity."

"On this Human Rights Day, we should remember that a common ownership of our history is the basis of nation building and must never be undermined by any interest group based on the subjectivity of race, religion, class, gender or ideology"

"Our democratic government undertakes to never ignore the plight of the poor, those without shelter, those without means to an education and those suffering from abuse and neglect"

"Let us pledge to show the world our abhorrence to the heinous acts of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance"

"My challenge to those responsible for public policy formulation and implementation is: do we display selflessness, diligence and dedication in the execution of our tasks?"

"Therefore, in a democratic era, I urge you to use democratic institutions available to us to voice our grievances and demands. This is our collective responsibility, as much as it is the responsibility of government to fast-track the creation of a better life for all."

"It is difficult to imagine that 16 years ago South Africa was regarded as a pariah state that was notorious for grotesque violations of human rights. Today our Constitution enjoins each and every one of us to strive for the creation of a non-racial, non-sexist, open and democratic society based on human dignity, equality and freedom."

"A key message from the Human Rights Day is that we should honour all our martyrs who sacrificed their lives in pursuit of the noble goals of freedom"

"Firstly, we must never forget the sacrifices made to forge our South African democracy and thus must never take for granted this reality."

"It is critically important to ensure that these discussions are not solely held in ivory towers of intellectualism and that they do not simply consist of elite factions of our society"

"When democracy was ushered in, it was never assumed that the road to the attainment of material freedom, justice and equality would be an easy path to traverse"

"We must remember that this nation is more than a composition of its challenges"

"Rather than being thrown into the depths of despair by the doubts that this moment raises, I charge us all to embrace doubt"

"For us to be able to mobilise resources domestically, we need to deal with the issues of tax evasion and any other things that impact the financial flow"

"Social protection must be seen not as charity, but as a cornerstone of development, through fostering economic vitality, societal unity, and gender parity"

"Only by shining light into these shadowy corners of the financial system can we hope to finance sustainable futures"

"Reimagine how the world responds to problems that ignore borders"

"Fostering a performance-driven culture across the public service is not optional, but essential"

"These efforts are about more than just oversight. They are about improving outcomes where it matters most, at the point of contact between citizens and the state"

"South Africa is not without challenges, but it is through this kind of clear-eyed, system-wide reform that is grounded in planning, driven by data and accountable to the people that we can build a state that works"

"South Africa’s G20 Presidency is not just about convening meetings. It is about shifting the centre of gravity in global conversations and placing people and planet at the heart of development"

"From illicit finance to inclusive social protection, these agreements reflect not just what we stand for but what we stand to gain when we act together"

"IFFs remain a critical challenge for many countries, especially in developing and low-income countries"

"South Africa strongly supports the continued engagement of the Financial Action Task Force in identifying gaps and enhancing global cooperation and urges the G20 to adopt an even more development-centred approach"

"Inclusive growth must translate into more jobs, rising household incomes and improved wellbeing for all"

"The success of South Africa’s economic growth strategy will be tested by the country’s ability to maintain its status as Africa’s largest economy"

"I just cannot understand how adults can go to school and prevent learners from receiving education"

"Learners are the future of this country and they should be given the chance to get education"

"It is my responsibility as the MEC to ensure that those vulnerable learners who are disabled are also given opportunities, like other learners, where they are exposed to sports"

"Our teachers’ commitment to improving their skills and enhancing the learning experience of our learners speaks volumes about their dedication"

"Schools thrive when communities remain actively involved in their affairs"

"It is both a moral obligation and a patriotic duty to give back to the schools that shaped our formative years"

"when we change the life of a child, we change a nation"

"We cannot sit and watch our children perish in illegal substances when we can also develop them outside classroom walls by nurturing their talents through school sports"

"We are periodically reminded of our overarching duty to uphold human rights and endorse peace"

"Are we saying our own children working and studying abroad be killed in the foreign lands where they are outside their country of birth?"

"It is painful for parents to raise a child who, once grown, turns into a monster and kills them"

"Since the dawn of democracy, one of the fundamental roles that the media continues to play in our democratic system is to critically scrutinises governmental programmes and ensures that the government is held accountable by the public."

"We must always remember that we remain a bedrock of service delivery"

"There is a crucial need for accountability from both municipalities and councillors to the citizens"

"The leadership has committed to a selfless and honest approach"

"The emotional and psychological well-being of all learners will be paramount during this stressful period"

"We appeal to parents and guardians to keep a watchful eye over them to ensure they are in a good place. We wish teachers, invigilators and markers all the strength they need to tackle the mammoth task at hand with all the zeal and fortitude that it requires"

"You are across the road. You can see what is happening. You don’t need state security for that"

"The law enjoins me as Minister of Intelligence to exercise oversight and ultimate executive authority over all intelligence matters of the country – such oversight responsibility would be near impossible to achieve without information at my disposal - the least I am entitled to is a full disclosure of all intelligence information in the agency so that I can exercise my custodial responsibility as Minister of State Security"

"We have on a previous occasion successfully asked for indulgence from the chair in respect of the Inspector General’s testimony to the commission and so this was not malicious nor an intention to frustrate the work of the commission"

"The work to rebuild and restore the credibility of the agency is underway in line with the recommendations of the High Level Review Panel and I cannot be the one to circumvent such efforts as some seem to suggest"

"For as long as I hold the constitutional responsibility of being a custodian of national security, I will spare no effort in safeguarding matters of national security and to put measures in place to prevent acts of corruption from happening in the system"

"These intelligence briefings and alerts were provided to the SA Police Service before and during the unrest. But I might also clarify it was not only to the SAPS but to NatJoints, which is chaired by SAPS and co-chaired by SSA and the Department of Defence"

"I need to record that the intelligence reports and alerts that I refer to in my submission are not in my possession and they are classified. I do not have the authority to declassify any documents as they are in the possession and under direct control of the acting director-general of SSA"

"[I]f my colleagues did not get updates from their own departments, I can hardly be held accountable and responsible [for that]"

"some red alerts, some yellow and some orange. All of these go to the structures I have mentioned here to enable them to plan. So [the SSA, when I was still there] did warn about growing instability that undermined the authority of the state"

"Minister Oliphant was a real sister to me. At the level of work in relation to Public Works and this department, she was always there"

"What I will not do, is to come here and change things especially at the policy level. There is a weakness that whenever there is a new minister there are new programs. This is as if, these people are not coming from the same policy background where we are supposed to be guided by the same policy. This does not mean that when we see weaknesses in a particular area we cannot call for a review"

"It becomes necessary or if it becomes necessary, we will have to see where we contain costs. But more important, how can we mitigate the effects of the likely rise of unemployment"

"As a department we are far from helpless. There are resources available that could be better utilized. There are current programs which could be up scaled. There may be past programs which need to be revived. So this is what I’m asking of the DDG’s and heads of the various programs, to point to the areas where we can make gains in terms of employment creation and intensive training and retraining. We have to cut the red tapes, improve the operations of the labour market especially for the small businesses"

"The president is still going to elaborate further on his thinking around the reconfiguration of the department. And I imagine this process will come to act with the upcoming SONA which is scheduled for the 20th of June"

"The reality is that we cannot give employers more than 26 years to transform and they choose not to move. What we are saying now with the Employment Equity Act amendments is that Minister will have the power to negotiate sector by sector - and say let us agree on targets. Each and every company must put targets in place and these will not be imposed by the Minister – but will be set up by the industry"

"a target is put in place to be met. The targets are flexible in that they offer a leeway to provide reasons for non-achievement"

"It is not good enough for the authors to point fingers at a cabinet minister and SABC board members and make reference to 'enforced' instructions from the top without evidence. Perhaps only a retired or tired person can do that"

"It would have been just and honourable for the authors to contact me to hear my side of the story than to rubbish my name in this manner"

"The authors draw parallels where there are none, between my political life which they show disdain at and investigations into the editorial independence of the SABC. Their hangover of former president [Jacob Zuma] clouded their judgment"

"They insinuate an unpalatable relationship which I seem to have had with the former COO, which in their minds led to this so-called interference which I seemed to have done at the SABC"

"I am guilty of being at the same place, at the same time with the former COO [Hlaudi Motsoeneng] when I showed up to support the former president in court in Durban, which I don't know where they get a mandate to investigate my personal life"

"What stands between our current state of the arrested development and a prosperous South Africa that we want to build as it is espoused in the National Development Plan 2030, is the quality of public service to accomplish that objective"

"With the glaring unemployment, this shameful act of unkindness towards the poorest of the poor should be arrested without delay if we are to work in unison for the common good of our citizens"

"As we embarked on these oversight visits to the affected municipalities in Limpopo and North West, our objective was to ascertain the impact of the lost investments in service delivery"

"The fact of the matter is, without consequence management, we will not be leading, we will be indirectly contributing to the prevailing problems and confirming the prophesies by the prophets of doom"

"but a deviation from norms and standards, and that impedes very negatively on the government to function optimally"

"The lives of innocent people were put in danger when bullets flew around Maponya Mall. This is not only a matter of criminality but an affront to our democratic values"

"As a daughter of Soweto, I stand shoulder to shoulder with community leaders in condemning this senseless act. As Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, and Co-Chair of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster, I cannot remain silent when our people’s constitutional rights are trampled upon"

"We will work tirelessly with all relevant stakeholders to ensure justice is served and that this challenge is addressed decisively"

"Competition, when healthy, can strengthen industries rather than weaken them. Informal traders at taxi ranks, selling similar goods, compete without violence by improving their products and services. This spirit of coexistence must be embraced by our transport sector"

"Our traditional taxi industry is an integral part of our economy and must remain so. However, it should adapt, modernise, and embrace healthy competition to ensure sustainability and service excellence"

"The continent depends on us, South Africa, to showcase our capability, our commitment and what we can achieve as Africans. That responsibility now lies in your hands as law enforcement agencies, as we head into the weekend"

"We must ensure a successful and incident-free event over the coming days as Heads of State arrive"

"These events were held across the country, and the analysis and reports we received confirm that all engagements, working rooms and meetings proceeded without incident. This is because of your hard work and dedication, and we thank you for ensuring that South Africa remains a place our guests can trust"

"Where roads are closed, let us not force our way through. Let us understand that these measures are in the best interest of our country and our people. This event is important – it contributes to our economy and strengthens the standing of our nation"

"With that, I want to wish all law enforcement agencies the very best. We know you will do us proud, because you have consistently demonstrated your capability. [We] rely on you to distinguish between right and wrong and to act strictly within the laws and the Constitution of our country"

"It is a fundamental error in estimation and points to a fundamental flaw in the revenue estimation model of Nersa"

"More importantly it points to the fundamental flaw in the operating model of Eskom"

"About 85% of energy comes from coal, by the amount of energy that is produced however by value, in rand terms coal is about 90% in Nersa’s revenue determination model so if you tamper with any of the other things you are not doing anything and you have to go to the source, being coal"

"Eskom should not be a price taker in the coal industry but rather it should be a price maker. In reality, the opposite is true as Eskom officials rarely stand up to the bullying by rich mining companies who do not hesitate to use political and other methods of pressure to force exorbitant prices down the throat of Eskom officials"

"The outcome of this is that the resultant high price of electricity is in fact a transfer via Eskom and Nersa of money from the clients of Eskom especially the poor to the rich coal mining companies that feed their insatiable appetite for profit"

"To put it crudely, Eskom and Nersa are just conduits that extract money from poor South African citizens, who are surviving with minimum starvation wages to give to the rich called mining companies"

"In South Africa, we don’t have courts of justice. We have courts of law. People don’t go to court to get justice. They go to court for a judge to apply the law, whatever the case may be"

"If you are an ordinary person, a worker, working a menial job and the most vile deed is committed, just the cost of getting an application going, a notice of motion or founding affidavit, can run into thousands of rand"

"As long as you are black and poor, forget about justice"

"When I was at Transnet, I said South Africa must stop buying trains everywhere. We must manufacture our locomotives"

"South Africans must stop consuming only. We need to get into the habit of making things as a country"