“Cows Licking Fire” and 11 Other Zany ANC Quotes of the Past Year

The Minister of Energy Tina Joemat-Pettersson made a speech to Parliament last week that some people on social media compared to a person on an acid trip, talking about bad cheap wine, juvenile delinquents, EFF leader Julius Malema being unable to be a mother, and a cow licking a fire. But, as has been pointed out in news reports recently, she has some good competition within the African National Congress for memorable quotes. We mention a few of the highlights of the past year.

“This continent (Africa) is the biggest continent in the world. All continents put together will fit in into Africa.” President Jacob Zuma. (Zuma corrected himself – more than a month later.)

https://youtu.be/q6TQ7L4BDec

“They (the residents of a building in Cape Town) must burn to death as it is life to them to keep it that way.” ANC MP Bongani Mkongi on Facebook, replying to someone who raised concerns that his call to burn down a “Zuma Must Fall” banner hanging from an apartment block in central Cape Town might endanger the lives of people living there.

“Those who do not believe in black majority rule, who still want to perpetuate white minority, have moved from Gauteng to the Western Cape. Have moved from Northern Cape. Those who still want to be racists have descended on your shores. You have new Jan van Riebeecks here.” Minister of Energy Tina Joemat-Pettersson.

“When a cow gives birth to a fire, that cow will lick that fire. You know why? When a mother gives birth to a fire, she will lick that fire, because she gave birth to that fire. When a fire burns, it rains, and the earth gets wet. Fire burns, but when it rains, the earth gets wet.” Joemat-Petterson in her speech in Parliament last week at SONA2016.

Highlights of Joemat-Pettersson’s speech to Parliament. At minute 3.43 she talks about the drunk uncle who doesn’t like Zuma’s good wine. At 3.55 she talks about the cow licking the fire.

https://youtu.be/Ql-gRYp5PZY

“It was an overreaction, really, from my point of view.” Zuma, to SABC television after he fired finance minister Nhlanhla Nene and the rand and the country’s financial market plummeted.

“It is wrong to have boyfriends and girlfriends in the oppositions. You must make sure that your boyfriend or girlfriend is within the ANC.” ANC Youth League deputy president Desmond Moela.

“I am an intellectual strategist. I am an intellectual born person. No one can take that away from me except God. No one can stop me to go up … because I have brain in me, I am a visionary. I am a born leader.” Embattled SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng to supporters in Johannesburg after he was cleared in a disciplinary hearing. He had been charged with gross dishonesty relating to his matric certificate, with gross misconduct and abuse of position relating to the unfair dismissals of six senior staff members.

“Maybe because he (Mtimkulu) is black that his authority is not taken seriously. I am convinced that this story has got nothing to do with height restrictions – what is the story?… If it goes through a bridge, and comes out the other end – what is the story?” “I’m convinced that there is an agenda … there is a consistent attack on Prasa.” Passenger Railway of South Africa (Prasa) CEO Lucky Montana after a newspaper said 14 locomotives it had bought for R600 million were too high to go through tunnels in the country. The man responsible for their purchase was Daniel Mtimkulu. Several months later Montana was fired and Mtimkulu resigned following allegations he falsified his qualifications.

“We (the ANC) are too patient and too democratic.” Free State premier Ace Magashule the day before hordes of policemen descended on Cape Town and barbed wire was rolled throughout its streets for Zuma’s closing speech at SONA2016.

“We cannot allow Julius Malema and his monkeys to run our country amok and turn this country into a banana republic,” ANC Youth League leader Collen Maine.

“And this area is my jurisdiction. We are the crown of the creation … If God looks after the birds in the field, he will also look after the crown of his creation. I am not afraid. Perhaps I will be suspended tomorrow, but then all hell breaks loose.” Beaufort West mayor Truman Prince, in response to reports that the ANC would be taking action against him for writing a letter that said contracts would be awarded to companies that supported the ANC and made contributions to its election campaign.

In an article on certain ANC members’ quotes recently, journalist Gareth van Onselen said the ANC could claim the title of the “idiocracy” for statements its members made in 2015.He quotes Rural Development and Land Affairs Minister Gugile Nkwintini’s claim that the Great Wall of China, “was built in 10 months”.