Gauteng arts, culture dept to ‘probe’ non-operational Women’s Monument in Pretoria

The Gauteng department of sport, arts, culture and recreation might conduct an investigation into the Women’s Living Monument museum in Pretoria as it remains non-operational despite its unveiling four years ago.

The provincial department, which built the museum to create jobs, noted that it has been experiencing backlogs and difficulties in delivering infrastructural projects.

The department said some of the backlogs dates as far back as six years ago, which is in 2014.

In 2016, the monument, which is located at the Lillian Ngoyi square, had been was unveiled by former president Jacob Zuma with Sophie de Bruyn attending the event.

The monument features four statues of the heroic stalwarts including Lillian Ngoyi, Sophie de Bruyn, Helen Joseph and Rahima Moosa, who contributed to the liberation struggle.

The four women led a march to the Union Buildings in 1956, where thousands of women delivered a petition to the then prime minister Johannes Strijdom, against the carrying of ‘dompasse’ and the degradation of African women.

According to the department, the monument also includes a leadership development and training centre and dedicated walls for murals, artworks and artefacts, which tell the story of women’s struggles covering more than 100 years.

Opening of phase one of the Women’s Living Heritage Monument at Lillian Ngoyi. Photo: Twitter

Project Delays

The DA Gauteng shadow MEC for finance and e-Government, Adriana Randall said the party was concerned that the provincial government had once again underspent on its budget by R4.1 billion for the 2019/2020 financial year.

The department’s underspending was reportedly due to infrastructure project delays in the renovation of community libraries.

It resulted in no spending on heritage assets such as the Women’s Living Heritage Monument museum.

Departmental spokesperson Nomazwe Ntlokwana said the MEC Mbali Hophe had subsequently appointed an acting chief director to the vacant post and function of cooperate service and facilities.

Ntlokwana said the incumbent’s responsibility included expediting the process of infrastructure service delivery and importantly, investigating reasons and challenges related to all other departmental infrastructure projects within its portfolio.

“According to MEC Hlophe, this includes finding out if it’s a system or human-related challenge.”

Hlophe said: “In case of the latter, all and any official found to have been responsible for the challenges or delays will be taken to task.”

However, City of Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo argued that monument was not the metropolitan municipality’s property.

“The metro had not spent any funds towards the monument and the land on which the monument has been built on. The Tshwane metro was just a stakeholder of the project.”

This article first appeared on Rekord and was republished with permission.

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