AfriForum submits PAIA application over erection of Zuma statue in North West

AfriForum today sent a PAIA application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (Act No. 2 of 2000) to the office of Supra Mahumapelo, Premier of the North West, over the erection of a statue of Pres. Jacob Zuma in Groot Marico.

In this application the civil rights organisation requests the following information: The minutes of meetings of the Provincial Legislator, notifications in the media and all relevant documentation on the budget and cost of this project.

Hendrik Oosthuizen, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for North West, believes that the erection of a Zuma statue is entirely inappropriate given the high levels of corruption and poverty in the country.

A statue of Pres. Zuma cannot be erected because he, among others:

• has 783 charges of fraud against him;
• is involved in a Nkandla scandal where millions were unlawfully spent on his house; and
• is responsible for an enormously high unemployment level that contributes to critical circumstances and poverty.

Oosthuizen further adds that the R6 million the province wants to spend on this inappropriate statue could be applied in a far better manner. The money can, for example, be used to:

• buy more than 100 000 bags of tar for the repair of potholes;
• appoint about 36 new police officers in North West to promote rural safety where farm murders are rampant among other crimes;
• upgrade and maintain infrastructure;
• pay about 1 200 unschooled workers; or
• pay a total of 31 new high school teachers for a year.