The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has now backtracked on its decision to erect a R22 million monumental flag in Pretoria following a public backlash on social media.
In a published statement issued on Thursday morning, Minister Nathi Mthethwa said that he has directed his department to review the process in its totality.
Mthethwa says the diversity of voices around the heritage project is a welcoming celebration of the country's vibrant constitutional democracy.
The Chairperson for the Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture Beauty Dlulane said the committee did not have an issue with the intention and motivation behind the concept and the figures were still to be presented in more detail to the committee.
“But the committee is happy that the department has listened to the public sentiment and thus committed to rethinking the concept and the figures involved,” she added
The monumental flag would have been the biggest in the country at 10m x 15m and 120m tall.
Gqeberha currently has the biggest flag in the country situated at the Donkin Reserve.
In KZN a lot of families are still homeless after floods, but you’re busy with a useless flag that worth R22M. Ave nisithatha as a joke nina???????? lo R22M ubunga create amathuba amangaki omsebenzi??
— SAKHILE GINA (@realSakhileGina) May 19, 2022
Flag ya 22 million... aii south Africa e worse shem am disappointed????????????
— Mminatshipi (@VictorKoena1) May 19, 2022
What kind of flag that cost 22 million ???? my country such a joke ???
— #real msentysa (@dj_msentySA) May 19, 2022
