As the controversy over a 100-metre tall flag continues, and continues, the Ministry for Culture says it is never better than the present time to put up such an expensive memorial. Speaking to Klement Manyathela, Vusithemba Ndima, the Deputy Director-General of Heritage Promotion and Preservation at the Department of Arts and Culture, said their responsibility is to build historic monuments. The department is facing a strong response over plans to spend R22-million on the 100-metre tall Freedom Park flag at Pretoria. The Freedom Park Flag at 100-metre tall in Pretoria. Vusithemba Ndima, Director-General of Heritage Promotion and Preservation — Department of Arts and Culture Vusithemba Ndima says that the 100-metre tall flag would generate jobs, and that the Department of Arts and Culture has done feasibility studies. Vusithemba Ndima, DDG Heritage Promotion and Preservation, Department of Arts and Culture, says at least 143 jobs could be created if the project goes ahead.
A feasibility study has already been done on the flag, and Ndima is certain putting up a flag at Freedom Park in Pretoria would generate jobs, Eyewitness News reported. 100m tall flag Slams — Minister Nathi Mthethwa told to focus on hungry artists, sports development The Arts & Culture Ministry says that the flag would create jobs, but the DA and EFF MPs say art and sports development must take precedence over a patriotic symbol. The department had hoped that a flag project would become a national monument, but so far, the concept has received a negative response. The Ministry of Sport says making the national flag a democracy memorial goes a long way to making it more relatable to citizens.
In an annual plan for productivity, the Department said that it has begun the process of conceptualising, designing, and eventually installing the national monumental flag, featuring a flagpole more than 100 metres tall. The Department of Sport, Culture and Sports attracted controversy when it announced plans to spend R22m to construct a 100 metres high flagpole. The Department of Sports, Arts and Culture has already spent R1.7 million to conduct a feasibility study for South Africas proposed memorial flag, which is estimated at R22 million. The Department of Sports, Arts and Culture has already spent R1.7 million on a feasibility study for South Africas proposed memorial flag, which is estimated at R22 million. South Africas proposed monumental flag The R22 million monumental flag might be controversial with South Africans, but Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa is not backing down.
In 2022/23, R5-million has been set aside for site-specific geotechnical studies, including environmental impact assessments, which would be required prior to construction, and R17-million has been set aside to install a 100-metre tall flag representing South Africa. The da Tsepo Mhlongo said instead of spending R22-million on a flag, the department of sports could have used the money to support local sports events or theatrical productions, to help restore historical museums on the verge of closing, or as a lump sum contribution towards awarding prizes for different sports. The team undertaking the research would also need to examine what sites would best suit the proposed memorial flag for South Africa, identify the type of work that would be done and come up with a budget estimate, added Ndima. Vusithemba Ndima-DDG, Arts and Culture Department, at the #CMShow said that this would not be just a pole that has the flag It will have an aesthetic, will be a beauty. I asked how did the Sports Department come up with 22m, he said that they did not have any further details, that they were waiting for designs, the 22 was only an estimate.
In parliament last week, Minister Mthethwa hit back at critics of the project, saying if the flag was not important, then AfriForum would not have been in court trying to reverse a 2019 judgment declaring the public display of apartheid flags to be deemed as hate speech. After the project stirred controversy, SAs Director of the Bureau of Heraldry and National Herald of South Africa, Thembinkosi Mabaso, told CapeTalk the flags in South Africa needed promotion, as having a flag is useless unless people love, resonate with, or understand the specific role of. A program, #IAmTheFlag, was launched at schools, working in conjunction with the Department of Basic Education and artists, in order to generate publicity for the project and flag. I cannot block the project, which has merit on its own, because I am saying that all money should be given to artists and athletes.
Professor Elirea Bornman, who has written about the symbols of a nation in post-apartheid South Africa, said Prof. Elirea Bornman was skeptical about whether the South African 100m-long flag could have a significant role in building the nation.
According to CDA, citing reports by national police and the Department of Correctional Services, 60% of traffic deaths in South Africa are related to substance abuse. According to South Korea Customs, there were 104 interdictions of drugs on persons, carriers, goods, and mail entering or leaving South Africa during the first six months of 2010, seizing about 4.3 kilograms of illegal drugs valued at about US$7.3 million.
The CDA plans to establish a National Narcotics Data Base as the basis of the National Master Plan for 2012-2017. In addition, plans are under way to provide South Africa with access to the DEAs Centers for Narcotics Information database, further strengthening coordination efforts. South Africas National Drug Master Plan 2006-2011 responded to the United Nations 1988 drug convention by providing for a multi-agency framework headed by the CDA within the Department of Social Development, enabling coordination between governmental departments and non-governmental stakeholders.