Zuma defends multi-million rand statue in his likeness
President Jacob Zuma has defended the building of a multi-million rand statue of his likeness in the North West, saying it would “serve as a monument to record history”, the DA claims.
The president reportedly defended the statue while speaking in a simulcast interview on SABC community radio stations on Friday (17 February).
The statue and plaque is set to be built along the N4 in Groot Marico, North West Province, and has come under heavy scrutiny by opposition parties, most notably the DA.
The DA has described the proposed statue – which will be funded by taxpayers – as “a monument to corruption and unemployment”.
“I have called the Zuma statue a monument to corruption and unemployment, as that is the only history it will record for South Africa,” said the DA’s North West leader Joe McGluwa.
“Our country has been deeply disturbed by Zuma’s Presidency; a regime that has left 9 million people unemployed, has let corruption flourish, has allowed the state to be captured by cronies and pals and has broken parliament while violating the constitution – this is the history which a statue of Jacob Zuma will record.”
“That Jacob Zuma would come out and defend millions of rands to be spent on a statue of himself, shows that the ANC priority is not to deliver to the people, but to deliver to themselves,” McGluwa said.
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