COSATU is calling on government to scrap the obscene and absurd R22 million 100-metre flag project

11 May 2022

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) calls on the South African government to scrap the Department of Arts, Culture and Sports’ ludicrous and absurd plan to blow about R22 million on a 100-metre flag monument. This vanity project is pointless and the idea that it will attract tourists is 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. South Africa has enough tourist attractions and does not need another inept government department to waste millions of rands on a misguided project to attract tourists.

 The South African government has imposed a vicious wage freeze on nurses, doctors, teachers, police officers and other hard working public servants since 2020.

This has left these workers struggling with their wages eroded and repealed by inflation. 

The CCMA has been forced to retrench countless Commissioners, therefore, causing three months’ delays in workers case hearings. Recently, about three (3) million unemployed social grants recipients have been thrown out of the scheme after government adjusted the criteria of those who qualify to receive the R350 SRD Grant

 It is ridiculous that South Africans are now exposed to the obscene spectacle of a clueless government department squandering R22 million on a 100-metre flag monument. 

 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 Covid-19 lockdown.

 The Presidency, Treasury and the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation need to intervene, stop this wastage, and scrap this waste of taxpayers’ hard-earned monies.

Issued by Sizwe Pamla, National Spokesperson, COSATU, 11 May 2022