VOA标准英语2014--South Africa Protector of the Powerless Is Nation's Most Powerful Person

 

South Africa Protector of the Powerless Is Nation's Most Powerful Person

PRETORIA — South Africa's public protector enjoys a formidable reputation -- and higher approval ratings than her boss, President Jacob Zuma. Thuli Madonsela has grabbed headlines in South Africa in the last few years for exposing government wrongdoing -- and recently, spearing the president himself in a major corruption² scandal. And her fame is spreading: she was recently named one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential³ people, sharing the honor with the likes of Beyonce and Hillary Clinton. But how did this soft-spoken academic become a fearless voice for the voiceless? 

Thuli Madonsela never expected fame coming from a humble⁴ upbringing in the then-segregated township of Soweto. She started her career as a teacher.

But she's became South Africa's most powerful public figure- when she issued a scathing⁵ corruption report on the president. "Whilst there was authority, the authority was exceeded," she said.

Madonsela is South Africa's public protector, a job she has performed with surprising vigor⁶ since President Zuma appointed this lawyer in 2009. But her calm demeanor⁷ belies⁸ a reputation as the most tenacious⁹ person to ever hold the office.

Her March report to Zuma concluded he misused¹⁰ $23 million of public funds for upgrades to his private home. "I'm also requesting the president to pay a reasonable percentage of the cost of the measures," she noted¹¹.

Her courage has won her many fans, including, Nobel laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu.  A 2013 poll found 64 percent of South Africans trust her - whereas only 45 percent trust politicians.

Anti-corruption activist¹² David Lewis said Madonsela sets the gold standard. "She has achieved the status, and deservedly so, of an icon¹³ defending the South African constitution and delivering justice, and that's great," he stated.

But for Madonsela, it's the little victories that matter. "The cases that I enjoy most are where there are administrative¹⁴ failures, when you see a smile on somebody's face after you have unlocked a service that they deserved," she explained.

She said naming corrupt¹ officials doesn't give her happiness. "Because it is sad to find somebody guilty of corruption, it is sad to suggest to an institution… that somebody has to be disciplined and possibly fired. I don't necessarily enjoy that," she said. "But I have to do it because if we don't do that, the systems are going to collapse¹⁵."

Her Zuma report has provoked the ANC (African National Congress party) to call for her resignation.

But opposition¹⁶ leader Helen Zille said Madonsela's role is critical - and her honesty sadly rare in politics.  "She's the poster woman of what an independent institution in a democracy should be," said Zille.

Madonsela is unfazed by criticism and veiled ANC political threats.   "However, members of my family do worry. Sometimes they worry more than me about these security issues, especially when I'm dealing¹⁷ with the difficult cases," she added.

She said her career, including a role in writing South Africa's constitution, has left her with only one regret. "I don't regret not going to Harvard. Of course I would have loved to do both: constitution drafting and going to Harvard. The only regret I have as a human being is that, because I've always combined community work with my professional work, I haven't had enough time to be there for my children," she stated.

Thoughtful, modest, soft-spoken - hardly a recipe for success. But Thuli Madonsela uses those qualities to speak truth to power.

1 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

2 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

3 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

4 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

5 scathing   

adj.（言词、文章）严厉的，尖刻的；不留情的adv.严厉地，尖刻地v.伤害，损害（尤指使之枯萎）( scathe的现在分词)

参考例句：

• a scathing attack on the new management 针对新的管理层的猛烈抨击
• Her speech was a scathing indictment of the government's record on crime. 她的演讲强烈指责了政府在犯罪问题上的表现。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 vigor   

n.活力，精力，元气

参考例句：

• The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。
• She didn't want to be reminded of her beauty or her former vigor.现在，她不愿人们提起她昔日的美丽和以前的精力充沛。

7 demeanor   

n.行为；风度

参考例句：

• She is quiet in her demeanor.她举止文静。
• The old soldier never lost his military demeanor.那个老军人从来没有失去军人风度。

8 belies   

v.掩饰( belie的第三人称单数 )；证明（或显示）…为虚假；辜负；就…扯谎

参考例句：

• His appearance belies him. 他的外貌给人以假象。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The modesty of their home belies their great wealth. 他们简朴的家使人们看不出他们拥有巨额财富。 来自辞典例句

9 tenacious   

adj.顽强的，固执的，记忆力强的，粘的

参考例句：

• We must learn from the tenacious fighting spirit of Lu Xun.我们要学习鲁迅先生韧性的战斗精神。
• We should be tenacious of our rights.我们应坚决维护我们的权利。

10 misused   

v.使用…不当( misuse的过去式和过去分词 )；把…派作不正当的用途；虐待；滥用

参考例句：

• He misused his dog shamefully. 他可耻地虐待自己的狗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had grossly misused his power. 他严重滥用职权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

12 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

13 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

14 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

15 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

16 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

17 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。