Alec Erwin Quotes
Robert Kirby |
"Some reflection seems necessary on Alec Erwin’s latest statements on the intriguing subject of the Koeberg power station generator bolt and 'human instrumentality'. This grotesque phrase is of Erwin’s invention, thought up in panic as an inane substitute for the word 'sabotage', which, despite his later denials, he had used to explain the damage to the generator at Koeberg." |
Robert Kirby |
"What brought the above headline [Alec in Wonderland] to mind was whimsy, detecting a similarity between Lewis Carroll’s masterpiece of the ridiculous and Public Enterprises Minister Alec Erwin’s tendency to inflate his fantasies to gigantic proportions." |
Hendrik Schmidt |
(The Democratic Alliance) "...along with the rest of South Africa" was relieved to hear - in a statement by Erwin in the National Assembly on Thursday - that there was no evidence suggesting that foul play caused the damage at Koeberg. It was there that a bolt was left in a generator at the plant. This, however, confirms that the statements made by the ministers...on the eve of the then imminent local government elections were misleading in the worst degree and completely without justification...Should no apology be forthcoming from Ministers Hendricks and Erwin, the DA will
be giving notice of motion for them to be censured by Parliament." |
Alec Erwin |
"I did not use the word sabotage as we had to verify the existence or otherwise of a group before any such word was appropriate." said Erwin (in the quote below he in fact used the word "sabotage" several times). |
Alec Erwin |
"There is no evidence of any organised group of any sort being the agent of an act of sabotage at Koeberg...Accordingly, we share the view of the Eskom CEO that we have to ascribe this to
human error." |
Hendrik Schmidt |
"For a government minister to make unsubstantiated allegations of sabotage at a major national security flashpoint on the eve of an election is very serious." the Democratic Alliance's Minerals and energy spokesperson Hendrik Schmidt |
Alec Erwin |
“When we opened the generator, we found extensive destructive damage to that generator. As I indicated in an article placed in the Cape Times last week, this, I’m afraid, is a matter for police investigation. We have been in constant contact with the Commissioner of Police and the acting director-general of the National Intelligence Agency, and it is a matter of great regret that this is, in fact, not an accident. The investigations have proceeded well, and action will be taken of a legal nature and of a criminal-charge nature against individuals who, we believe, are responsible for this. Secondly, I should also indicate that, any interference with any electricity installation is an exceptionally serious crime – it is sabotage...Sabotage is everywhere...We need to be very clear that the bolt in the generator was not an accident . . . suspects have been identified and we will take action..but it is appropriate that any such action be announced by the police and not by us. I must also indicate that, unfortunately, further untoward action...regarding recent events have been taking place." Erwin speaking at a hastily convened press conference on the eve of the 1 March 2006 local Government elections, trying to explain a new round
of power outages in the Western Cape. |
Ask our travel consultant your questions here. She would love to assist.
