Cape Town – Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa has reportedly defended his department’s plan to spend at least R22 million on a monumental flag that is more than 100 metres in height.
This is despite growing outrage from the public and political parties.
Responding to Freedom Front Plus (FF+) MP Heloïse Denner, who accused the department of misplacing its priorities, Mthethwa said:
“Denner wants to trivialise the flag. No, it’s the mandate of the department to create among other things monuments and this flag is a monument for democracy in this country and we make no bones about that,” according to The Citizen.
He continued: “And it’s disingenuous to say it’s not important, if it’s not important, your sister organisation AfriForum wouldn’t be in court today fighting for the old flag. So I think we must clarify this thing that we have an obligation to transform the heritage landscape and will do just that.”
ALSO READ : ‘A symbol of unity and common identity’ – SA to spend R22 million on gigantic flag
Mthethwa said this while delivering his budget during Parliament’s mini plenary vote on Thursday.
AfriForum is seeking to set aside the Equality Court’s 2019 ruling that declared the “gratuitous displays” of the flag, in public and private spaces, hate speech, the report said.
Denner, was, however, not the only one against the monumental flag project. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) dubbed the project as “wasteful expenditure” and called for the funds to be reallocated to arts development.
“This is a useless, fruitless and misguided use of the taxpayers money, that must be rejected by all logical and rational people,” the red berets said in a statement.
EFF Condemns The Department Of Sports Arts And Culture For Wasteful Expenditure On R22 Million ‘Monument Flag’ pic.twitter.com/GsfTmfbdmH
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) May 11, 2022
“We call on Mthethwa to put the money he planned to use on his shameful flag-project to good use, and not insult our collective intelligence. The money can be used to develop local sports, invest in women’s football or create long-lasting infrastructure for the creative industry, not this senseless attempt at social cohesion.”
One SA Movement leader Mmusi Maimane also took a swing at the project, questioning the total amount of the project.
“R22 million for a flag? Then they say it’s a monument to democracy. It’s a monument to the levels of corruption in our nation!” Maimane tweeted.
R22 million for a flag?
Then they say it’s a monument to democracy ?. It’s a monument to the levels of corruption in our nation! https://t.co/orzTNoiD0U
— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) May 12, 2022
The Democratic Alliance also chimed in and accused Mthethwa of being out of touch with the needs of South Africans and dubbed the project an insult to all struggling athletes and artists.
Despite the objections, the minister remained adamant that processes were under way to erect the monumental flag in Tshwane.
“Processes are well under way to erect a monumental flag in Tshwane in line with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture’s mandate to promote nation-building and social cohesion,” Mthethwa tweeted.
Processes are well underway to erect a monumental flag in Tshwane in line with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture’s mandate to promote nation building and social cohesion. #DSACBudgetVote2022 ?? pic.twitter.com/J8pOP2Pa90
— Min. Nathi Mthethwa (@NathiMthethwaSA) May 12, 2022
Below are some of the tweets from the public:
Nathi Mthethwa is planning to erect a 100m-high flag to the tune of R22 million, while Naledi Pandor is fighting to give Cuba R50 million friendship allowance; this is in a poverty-stricken country.
Before you say a white man hates you kindly look among yourselves first.
— African Renaissance???? (@MadiBoity) May 13, 2022
Spend R22 million on a Flag? Has the government completely lost the plot? 40% of South Africans go to bed hungry every night and the ANC wants to spend R22 million of our taxes on a flag?????
— Rod MacPhail (@rodcampsbay) May 11, 2022
R22 million on a flag.
Imagine how many house you can build with R22m
Student fees debt you can wipe out with R22m
With R22million the ANC could’ve picked any course that will directly benefit our people.
But nah, let’s erect a R22m flag pole and hope tourists will like it.
— Kgopolo (@PhilMphela) May 11, 2022
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Picture: Twitter/@NathiMthethwaSA
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