Radio broadcaster Penny Lebyane found herself on the receiving end of backlash for rationalising Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa‘s attempt to build a R22 million “monumental flag”.
Nathi Mthethwa blasted for R22 million flag project
The minister, whose reputation in his portfolio has been tainted with ineptitude, revealed his plans to erect a multimillion rand national flag at Freedom Park, Pretoria, in Parliament this week.
The flag will, once completed, stand more than 100 metres tall, a clear symbol “of a break with the colonialism and apartheid”, according to the minister.
The national flag project, he added, was another contribution towards destabilising what’s left of apartheid symbolism. It started with the change of institution names, provinces, and now, according to Mthethwa, South Africa needs the biggest national flag to tower over the capital, a permanent reminder about our democracy.
“It still has those symbols which represent apartheid and colonialism. It is against that backdrop, therefore, in response to this very mandate, we have been building monuments, building museums and changing names,” he said.
Except, this idea was widely criticised by the public. Not only was it ill-timed for a minister who has yet to address his culpability in the collapse of the entertainment industry in the last two years, but spending R22 million on a national symbol when youth unemployment sits at record highs is illogical, to say the least.
Nathi Mthethwa is one of the useless ministers alongside Mbalula. 22 Million Rands to construct a Flag that is visible during the day and night in a developing country that is sinking economically, will never make sense to me.
— ツ Ø ͏ Ʀ ͏ ł ™ ͏ ͏ ❼ (@Ori_RSA) May 18, 2022
Penny Lebyane is the only South African who gets it
Lebyane, it seems, is the only public figure who understands Mthethwa’s vision. Taking to Twitter, the broadcaster used the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty as arguments to support the relevance of the R22 million national flag project.
Except, these Western monuments were not funded from the public purse. In fact, France’s monumental structure was. for the most part, financed by its creator, Gustave Eiffel.
The Statue of Liberty too was not a project funded by the US government. As a matter of fact, the erection of Lady Liberty was funded by the French people, through a crowdfunding project.
These were the tweets that got Lebyane in a heap of trouble on social media:
U’ll will say l’m paid to ask this, let me free u I am not. Even @Silapha_ l understand the magnitude of the SA arts. Personally l don’t hate the minister l just work,make the best of every situation or opportunity for myself & l will wear a SA dress/Flag any where in the 🌍
— PennyLebyane💚PennyLebyaneDotAfrica (@PennyLebyane) May 18, 2022
🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦
— PennyLebyane💚PennyLebyaneDotAfrica (@PennyLebyane) May 18, 2022
