Pointless, senseless, ridiculous: Cosatu slams Mthethwa’s R22m flag

18 May 2022 - 08:00
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
The ministry of sport, arts and culture plans to spend R22m on a 'monumental' flag.
The ministry of sport, arts and culture plans to spend R22m on a 'monumental' flag.
Image: THE HERALD/MIKE HOLMES

The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) is the latest to blast sport, arts and culture minister Nathi Mthethwa over plans to spend R22m on a 100m-high “monumental” flag.

The department last week said the government had budgeted R22m to install the flag as part of its national monumental flag project and that the flag would serve as a national landmark and tourist attraction.

The installation of the flag will cost R17m while geotechnical studies will cost another R5m.

In a statement, the trade union said the vanity project was pointless and the idea that it will attract tourists was senseless and ridiculous.

 

“Many people around the world are being squeezed by the rising cost of living and they do not have the money to go around looking at flag monuments. SA has enough tourist attractions and does not need another inept government department to waste millions of rand on a misguided project to attract tourists,” said Cosatu. 

It said the money could be used to pay nurses, doctors, teachers, police officers and other hard-working public servants who’ve had their salaries frozen since 2020. 

“It is ridiculous that South Africans are now exposed to the obscene spectacle of a clueless government department squandering R22m on a 100m flag monument,” said Cosatu. 

“This is an insult to workers and South Africans in general. The same department failed to pay thousands of struggling artists, musicians and sports professionals who were unable to work during the Covid-19 lockdown.

“The presidency, Treasury and the department of planning, monitoring & evaluation need to intervene, stop this wastage, and scrap this waste of taxpayers’ hard-earned money.”

Last week, Mthethwa defended the decision to install the flag, saying it was not being wasteful and was part of his department’s mandate.

“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,” Mthethwa said.

He said the national flag was a national symbol and that his department was tasked with the design, registration and promotion of national symbols.

“The national flag is one of our primary symbols and we are saying it is important that even at that level we ensure that we hoist high the flag as part of this transformation of the heritage landscape,” Mthethwa said.

TimesLIVE ran a poll asking readers if they approve of the R22m flag initiative. 

The majority of the voters, or 93%, said it is a waste and the money could be put to better use. 

5% sided with the department, saying it could be SA’s own Eiffel Tower or Statue of Liberty, while 2% jokingly said they couldn’t be bothered as long as they don’t have to wave it. 


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.