Celani Sikhakhane
South Africans from all walks of life have expressed their outrage over a R22 million flagpole, forcing the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa to retract the decision and take it on review.
The decision was announced by the Department on Thursday after an outcry at the cost of the gigantic flagpole with some people even calling for Mthethwa, who was described as a minister who is spitting in the face of the poor, to resign.
“Over the past few days, the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture has followed and taken note of public discourse that has unfolded in respect of the envisaged monumental flag,” the department said in a statement.
The statement further said: “In upholding the ethos and the inalienable rights of citizens to be heard, the minister has directed his department to review the process in its totality.”
Earlier this week Mthethwa defended the budget of the flagpole as part of instilling patriotism among South Africans.
He stated that he was surprised by the outcry because AfriForum was on a mission to bring back the old apartheid flag and has taken the matter to court.
Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele confirmed to eNCA on Thursday that the issue of the flag was discussed at a cabinet meeting and it was agreed that the project must go ahead.
The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) executive director advocate Stefanie Fick said as much as the flag is described as uniting South African the timing was totally wrong since the country is bleeding from high rate of unemployment and the money could be used elsewhere.
Image source: @JacarandaFM
