By: Sello Theletsane
The definition and legal meaning of semantics is: The study in scientific terms of words and also how meanings are applied to words.
With this in mind, let us re-examine the social media backlash as well as the accusations levelled against Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu that she smuggled Russian medicines into the country to save ANC Deputy Secretary General Jessie Duarte, her friend and colleague. Duarte, a struggle stalwart who had been battling cancer for months, died recently at the age of 68.
On the 17th of July, 22 hours after her death, Duarte was laid to rest at Westpark Cemetery. Before the funeral friends, colleagues and family gathered at her home. Sisulu was among them. It was here that we witnessed what can be described as possibly one of the most humanistic clips on the news recently, when SABC journalist, Samkele Maseko approached a visibly grieving Sisulu to express his condolences and ask her about her views on the legacy of Jessie Yasmine Duarte. This interaction happened outside Duarte’s residence where mourners had met before leaving to bury Duarte at the Westpark Cemetery.
Among ANC dignitaries, friends and family Maseko intercepted Sisulu, who was heading for her car. Sisulu, who appeared to have been crying, answered Maseko’s questions and spoke about her personal relationship with Duarte. The interaction was familiar, and it was refreshing to hear Sisulu drop the veil of her Ministerial persona to speak about her history with Duarte with such fondness and respect.
“She was just one outstanding woman who stood her ground at all times, very disciplined, very principled. We’ve lost the one person in the organization who was able to, at all times take the lead, even in the most difficult times, even when it wasn’t the preferred route. She was your height, but she stood out like a giant. And she was a personal friend. I inherited her from my mom. She was my mom’s aide – at all times there for her. My mom inherited her from my brother Zwelakhe, so she is almost like a part our family. She has always been there for us.”
Sisulu then went on to say: “I was invited to Russia by the minister of Tourism. I took the opportunity to try and get medication for her in Russia, and I succeeded but I arrived too late. I arrived back home too late. We will miss Jessie. I don’t know if anyone else would have the qualities she has – and you would know that Samkele.”
Maseko responded: “Indeed Minister Sisulu, she was a very passionate person. We had our differences, but we buried the hatchet. At times we would even gossip about you ANC leaders and the things going on in the county, the governing party – she was very motherly. Condolences once again. How would you want the younger generation to remember her?”
Sisulu spoke fondly of Jessie’s history saying: “Jessie got into the organisation at a very young age and because she was one of the youngest, she automatically became my mother’ s secretary because my mother was one of the presidents of the UDF, but she was just self-driven. She didn’t need anyone to conscientise her so to speak. She knew what was right instinctively and for me and my family, she was one of us.”
Political affiliations and ideology aside, Sisulu anthromorphized Duarte in her short answer and revealed an aspect to Duarte that few are interested in when critiquing ANC politics. It was the mention of trying to get medication for Jesse Duarte and succeeding, made in the midst of her grief, that created a media furore, and days later the media was flooded with the story of Sisulu’s alleged unlawful importation of Russian cancer medication into South Africa.
By Wednesday 20 July The South African Health Products and Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) said it was looking into the matter as a possible violation of the Medicines Act. The organisation stated: “Sahpra has noted the numerous media articles on the statement made by Minister Sisulu having secured medicine for Jessie Duarte,” the authority said, adding that it is “looking into the reports in the media and is engaging with the minister’s office”.
Sisulu responded to the media with the following statements to the Weekend Argus: “I had cancer, my brother had cancer, my husband passed away from cancer, so I wanted to go and learn and I have found a new treatment. I did not put it in my pocket, it’s in my head. I brought in my mind a new medicine that we could try on Jessie,”
“I didn’t put it in my bag as it’s administered by doctors. They have an excellent facility in Russia, all based on nuclear. I’m a cancer specialist myself, so I needed verification of the effects. I wanted to refer Jessie there, anyone who misinterprets it can go to hell.” “Somebody came to me while I was in grief. I didn’t sit down and write a thesis, I was speaking my mind. So anyone who is misinterpreting it is doing it deliberately and I will not entertain it, they can go to hell, they can go to the courts if they want to, I don’t care,” Sisulu said.
“I’m on a campaign to make sure we can get over cancer, I’ve been there, my whole family has been there. I wanted to refer Jessie to that facility, but it was too late.” Social media was awash with derogatory comments and nasty laughter from Sisulu’s detractors. There seemed to be a concerted effort to turn this into a Phala Phala on a scale big enough to bury the public interest in Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm scandal.
Sisulu’s assertion that she brought the meds in her head not her pocket seemed to be the biggest joke and as per usual it was taken out of context and presented as a stand alone comment. The fact that she said: “Somebody came to me while I was in grief – I didn’t sit down and write a thesis,” was completely overlooked, stripping Sisulu of her attributes as a human being wired to flaws when under immense stress such as grief. While her sentence may to the sematically-challenged vaguely imply that she actually procured the meds because she uses the word ‘get’, it is not that straightforward when examined semantically.
The word get in the English Thesaurus, under the subsection obtained (v) offers various meanings. One of the Dictionary Form meanings is to search out. Other meanings are find, or dig-up. None of these words can be used to accuse Sisulu of actually putting the medicine in her pocket or bag and unlawfully bringing it into the country.
The word Get can also be translated into understand as per the Thesaurus.
Let’s examine the sentence again using the variables available in the Thesaurus.
I took the opportunity to try and find medication for her in Russia …and I succeeded but I arrived too late – I arrived back home too late.
I took the opportunity to try and dig-up medication for her in Russia …and I succeeded but I arrived too late – I arrived back home too late.
I took the opportunity to try and search out medication for her in Russia …and I succeeded but I arrived too late – I arrived back home too late.
I took the opportunity to try and understand medication for her in Russia …and I succeeded but I arrived too late – I arrived back home too late.
Sisulu’s response that those who do not believe her can ‘go to hell’ is not surprising. The combination of grieving a dear family friend and colleague, of speaking to this publicly while in grieving, and of using a slightly ambiguous verb, is a great excuse for a vitriolic attack by a diabolical social media society that lies in wait to pounce on possible scandal. It is exasperating.
Her response was a human response. Anyone who has been misconstrued and her intent rubbished is likely to react with emotion. She wanted to help save her friend after many months of cancer which was not responding to treatments offered in South Africa. On an invite by the Minister of Tourism in Russia, she took the opportunity to search for, find, understand treatments and meds available in Russia that could help cure Duarte.
Social media users are quick to strip many of their humanity and take on the role of judge and jury. But good luck to them in proving that her statement matches a grand smuggling conspiracy. Law is all about semantics even if social media is not.
