FRANCE has donated 22 000 euros to the Red Cross to fund its relief operations in Nigeria for victims of last week’s Lagos munitions explosion, the French embassy said on Monday. The sum is being given via the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva, Switzerland. In a statement, French Ambassador Jean-Marc Simon reiterated France’s “deepest and most sincere condolences to the bereaved families, the state government of Lagos and the federal republic.” – AFP
THEY SAID IT, from Sapa
“It places question marks over the character of the victim…”
– Attorney Anton Pretorius, referring to a five-year-old girl for whose rape his client, Success Makwetsa, was given a suspended five-year jail sentence. Pretorius reportedly questioned the morals of the victim.
“I would like the Law Society to give me the opportunity to argue before them that Mr Pretorius as attorney should be put under correctional supervision.”
– Magistrate Dreyer van der Merwe, chairman of the Judicial Officers’ Association of SA.
“Unfortunately, the economy is not currently our top priority. I would lie if I said we (the cabinet) spend more than an hour on the economy in our executive meetings.”
– Zimbabwean Finance Minister Simba Makoni.
“I am going to miss him, but he has been anointed he must move on from the world.”
– Deon Williams, son of Apostolic religious leader Freddie Isaacs, who planned his funeral for Saturday, February 2, in terms of a “divine vision” predicting his death. The funeral has since been rescheduled for this weekend.
“It’s not upsetting me at all. I just don’t believe that Mr Isaacs is going to die on Saturday.”
– Local attorney Danie Gerber, owed money by the Isaacs family, who said he was not overly concerned about recovering the debt.