The minister of sports, arts & culture, Nathi Mthethwa, wants to spend a whopping R22 million on erecting a massive 100-metre-tall flagpole with the expected aim of creating social cohesion and serving as a monument to our democracy.
The plan to install the giant pole in Pretoria’s Freedom Park was recently unveiled but it comes at a time when South Africa is desperately struggling economically, and the proposed monument’s cost has sparked outrage from commentators.
Melanie Verwoerd writes that at a time when hunger and unemployment are rife among millions of South Africans, who thought it would be a good idea to spend R22 million on a flag?
“…what kind of tone deaf eejits (as the Irish would say) could even think of blowing 22 MILLION RAND on an enormous piece of bunting?”
Verwoerd continues by writing that the SA government has repeatedly made it clear over recent years that it was running out of money and would not have enough in the coffers to pay for income grants or increase civil servant salaries.
But somehow it has managed to siphon off R22 million from somewhere to pay for a “mine is bigger than yours pole and flag” while the same government department told artists to get lost during the height of Covid-19 when they were pleading for some sort of relief.
Similarly, political commentator Justice Malala writes he is shocked and outraged at the proposed plan and details the failings of government to adequately provide money for essential services rather than waste it on vanity projects.
One example Malala cites is that of South African weather stations, which are closing in numbers each year due to underfunding and poor maintenance. If these crucial institutions aren’t well maintained they cannot accurately predict the weather and provide adequate warnings when natural disasters like the recent floods in KwaZulu-Natal occur.
Malala writes we have become so accustomed to a culture of low standards, we have accepted this behaviour from government as normal.
Well, we should be protesting in the streets if this is the way government intends to spend its money. Scratch that – Our money.
Here’s a round-up of opinions, editorials, and in-depth articles we’re reading:
SA at bottom of the rubbish heap, as local government masters the art of corruption – The Citizen (for subscribers)
TONY LEON | It’s time the state stopped spin doctoring and started doctoring – Sunday Times Daily (for subscribers)
CAIPHUS KGOSANA | In SA, middle-class problems are everyone’s problem – Sunday Times Daily (for subscribers)
EDITORIAL: SA must not allow the weather service to become the next Eskom – Business Day (for subscribers)
KATE THOMPSON DAVY: Musk is spam himself as he ruffles feathers amid bot battle – Business Day (for subscribers)
IN-DEPTH | Proposed 10-year term for DGs may ‘encourage complacency’ – expert – News24 (for subscribers)
Jacob Zuma, Yesterday’s Man of power politics – Daily Maverick
