Mthethwa defends decision to build R22m flag
MPs unimpressed as most artists struggle
Arts and culture minister Nathi Mthethwa has again defended his department’s decision to build a R22m flag.
Appearing before the sport, recreation, arts and culture parliamentary committee, Mthethwa’s department also presented a feasibility study that cost the department over R1m to develop the project.
Mthethwa defended the project against MPs who were less than impressed with spending millions of rand on a national monument flag project while many artists, as described by EFF MP Ringo Madlingozi, were struggling.
Mthethwa said SA was memorialising its democracy, adding that the monument flag would teach people about the country’s democracy and how it got there.
“It’s also a marker of a break with colonial and apartheid past. It epitomises democratic values of non-racialism and non-sexism. It raises our fundamental principles of our democracy as enshrined in our constitution.
“We believe the monument should stand as a reminder of what our forebears stood, fought and died for,” Mthethwa said.
Vusithemba Ndima from the department’s heritage promotion and preservation programme said the flag would be a symbol of SA’s democracy.
“This department commissioned a feasibility study towards this monument flag. This study was done in phases to demonstrate financial capacity. This phase confirmed there was a need for this flag.
“Freedom Park is recommended because the South African Civil Aviation Authority [SACAA] has approved [it], it’s a heritage site and it’s state-owned and there will be a low amount of additional infrastructure and staff requirements,” Ndima said.
According to the feasibility study, the monument flag will stand 120m tall with the cloth flag being 10m x 15m.
DA MP Tshepo Mhlongo said he supported social cohesion but added he did not see value for money.
“We have theatres, [and] NGOs that can produce plays for roughly three years when you divide the money, and create employment opportunities with those funds.
“The minister is not in touch with reality of what many South Africans face or what’s needed to build SA. This is too much money and that money must be utilised elsewhere,” Mhlongo said.
Madlingozi said he was in agreement with the patriotism the department was trying to instill in residents but said he could not look away from the problems such as unemployment the country was facing, particularly artists.
“Some of the money can be redirected to artists who are facing hardships. We can push patriotism later and deal with hardships faced by artists today,” he said.
ANC MP Vuyisile Malomane said the flag would show the nation SA was united. “The monument flag will promote tourism and also job creation. It will assist South Africans during this critical time,” she said.