Johannesburg – Below is a selection of quirky and newsworthy quotes from stories that made headlines in the past week.
“These days young people are the ones who are in the long SASSA queues for the state grant. They must keep pure and protect themselves from diseases like Aids. Those who are not virgins get bursaries, but this is a special category.” – Uthukhela district municipality spokesperson Jabulani Mkhonza on its bursaries for virgins.
“Being sexually active and seeking an education have nothing to do with each other.” – Sisonke Msimang, a policy development and advocacy consultant for the Sonke Gender Justice project, quoted by Al Jazeera.
“Only young women and girls are subjected to this practice. Boys are not tested, and hence are not stigmatised or rewarded for their virginity.” – Women’s rights activist Jennifer Thorpe, quoted in the Mail&Guardian.
“I am proud to be a virgin. I did not know it could open so many doors for me. I did not know I could get something out of it. I do get tempted to have sex, but I have seen things happening in this world and I don’t trust men.” – A second-year-pharmacy student at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University who was awarded the bursary.
“This was one of the worst forms of racism. Gareth Cliff was discriminated against because he is white.” – Dali Mpofu, representing the sacked Idols judge in his high court bid to get his job on the talent show back.
“Idols judges are employed to delight and entertain, not to shock and offend.” – M-Net’s lawyer Wim Trengove arguing in the Gareth Cliff case.
“Those who are victims are impatient. Those who have been beneficiaries of racism have been emboldened and they say a number of things.” – ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe.
“But the racial segregation was burnt into the minds of every South African. There is still a long way to go.” – Anti-apartheid activist Denis Goldberg quoted by French news agency AFP.
“It is far-fetched and we sure as hell have no Romeo and Juliet issues, we have a happy family.” — A La Mercy, KwaZulu-Natal man responding to claims that he and his wife tried to commit suicide by jumping off a bridge near Tongaat. He says they fell.
“When Daily Sun holds not just higher Post spot but also moral ground than a paper that trolls Black Excellence.” – Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula tweeting in reaction to a poster by the Daily Sun and one by Beeld on a story about young Proteas star Kagiso Rabada. Beeld misspelt his name and called him a “drama queen”.
“Because that’s on the poster with a spelling mistake, a lot of people get on Twitter and react, and now they’ve concluded it was a negative story.”– Beeld editor Barnard Beukman.
“Through a mutual agreement, they were compensated for monies lost on that day. It was an agreement between us and them.” – DA spokesperson Mabine Seabe responding to claims that the party paid street traders R100 during its march for jobs in Johannesburg.