Traditional Leaders Support President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Decision to Scrap “Ridiculous” R22m Flag Project

• President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to have the R22 million flag project scraped was welcomed by Contralesa
• The Congress said the money set aside for the project can be used to assist South Africans who are need
• Contralesa said the decision to spend millions on the flag project is irritating, ridiculous, insensitive, illogical and annoying

JOHANNESBURG - President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to have the R22 million flag project cancelled was backed by the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa). The Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa planned to erect a 100-metre flagpole at the Freedom Park Heritage Site and Museum in Pretoria and faced widespread criticism from the country.

The president of Contralesa Chief Lameck Mokoena said it welcomes Ramaphosa’s decision to put an end to the project. He said the money set aside for the project could be used to assist embattled South Africans.

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Mokoena said the decision to spend millions on the flag project is irritating, ridiculous, insensitive, illogical and annoying. He said people in the country are in a “bad state” and the money can be used where it is needed most. According to SABC News, Mokoena also thanked Ramaphosa for putting a stop to the “unnecessary” project.

Following criticisms from the country Mthethwa’s department stated that it would be reviewing the flag project. While addressing the Black Business Council gala dinner, Ramaphosa said South Africa has a government that listens to South Africans, The Citizen reported.

Mzansi reacts

Social media are still outraged over the proposed flag project and said the idea was ridiculous:

Janine Filmer said:

“The idiot minister shouldn't have come up with this outrageously ridiculous idea in the first place!”

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Tony Douglas wrote:

“A government that listens to its people?”

Solomon Ma Sollies Nwanghala commented:

“How can someone suggest that nonsense in the first place? You people are useless, you don't think.”

Tessa Roseweir added:

“If that's true then it means Mthethwa does not listen to Mr Rama. Imagine earning a fat salary to sit and dream up silly projects like a giant flagpole?”

President Cyril Ramaphosa tells Minister Nathi Mthethwa to “cancel this thing” following R22m flag backlash

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported a video has been doing its rounds on social media that shows how President Cyril Ramaphosa reacted to Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa following harsh criticisms surrounding the R22 million flag project. A giggling Ramaphosa was addressing the Black Business Council summit in Midrand recently when he commented on the monumental flag project. The proposed project sparked outrage from South Africans who declared it a waste of taxpayers’ money.

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Ramaphosa said Mthethwa told him that people are not happy with the “wonderful” flag idea, to which he replies:

“Of course, they are not happy with it. Cancel this thing.”

Source: Briefly News