ANC to erect ‘R6 million’ statue of Zuma

The ANC is said to be planning to sculpt and erect a statue of President Jacob Zuma worth a whopping R6 million, according to the DA, though it’s unclear where the opposition party sourced this figure from.

A tender has been advertised on National Treasury’s website, calling for bidders who wish to build a statue of Zuma six metres tall.

Tender number CATA116/2016, apparently issued by the department of arts, culture and traditional affairs in North West, is set to help build “lifelike bronze statue and plaque” of the president in Groot Marico under Ngaka Modiri Molema Local Municipality.

“Sculpturing services for the design, manufacturing and installation of 6m lifelike bronze statue and plaque of President Jacob Zuma in Groot Marico under Ngaka Modiri Molema Local Municipality,” reads the tender information of the National Treasury’s website.

The North West tender (CATA116/2016) to sculpt & build an enormous statue of Jacob Zuma, is a disgraceful waste of public money. #ZumaStatue

— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) February 13, 2017

The Democratic Alliance (DA) came out to condemn the ANC in North West for the advert, and said that there was nothing to celebrate in Zuma, “a man who has so brazenly broken our laws”.

We are shocked the ANC NWest wants to spend R6m of public money to erect a statue of a man who has so brazenly broken our laws. #ZumaStatue

— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) February 13, 2017

“We are shocked the ANC North West wants to spend R6m of public money to erect a statue of a man who has so brazenly broken our laws.

“There is nothing to celebrate about Jacob Zuma’s presidency, a regime that has left 9 million people unemployed.

There is nothing to celebrate about Jacob Zuma’s presidency, a regime that has left 9 million people unemployed. – @McGluwajj #ZumaStatue

— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) February 13, 2017

“The North West tender (CATA116/2016) to sculpt & build an enormous statue of Jacob Zuma is a disgraceful waste of public money.”

The Groot Marico area near Zeerust, in the North West, is where Zuma was captured by apartheid security forces in 1963.

According to SA History Online, Zuma was detained under the 90-day detention law in solitary confinement at Hercules Police Station, where he was interrogated and beaten, “although the police already had enough evidence to secure a conviction”.

In an official statement released on Monday, the DA alleges that the North West government will spend R6 million in building the statue. It says this is an indication that North West premier Supra Mahumapelo puts Zuma and the ANC ahead of the poor residents of the province.

“Once again, this statue project shows that Supra Mahumapelo and his government put Jacob Zuma and the ANC ahead of the people of the North West. In the province with the highest unemployment rate in South Africa, at a shocking 44.6%, it is simply unconscionable that Supra could spend public money on a multimillion-rand statue, rather than spend money on creating jobs and opportunities.

“To the people of Gopane, Zeerust, a statue of Jacob Zuma will go nowhere to solve their critical need for services, as water supply fails daily, waste water treatment plants lie unusable and broken, and the inhumane bucket system still plagues our people. Supra Mahumapelo’s priorities are clearly disturbingly skewed to praise Jacob Zuma, rather than to deliver to the people.”

Despite the apparent error regarding the alleged amount being spent on the statue, The Citizen was still awaiting confirmation or repudiation of the DA’s allegations from the ANC in North West.