BY REGINALD KANYANE
ALL Systems go at Groot Marico as the North West Provincial government prepares to unveil the Jacob Zuma Capture Site Monument in Groot Marico on Wednesday. The Culture, Art and Traditional Affairs department (CATA) in Bokone Bophirima said the construction of the monument is part of honouring the struggle icons and freedom fighters.
CATA spokesperson, Daddy Sebolecwe said: “The site is located in the Provincial Liberation Heritage Route that has significance in the liberation struggle of the country. President Jacob Zuma was arrested with a group of 45 uMkhonto we Sizwe recruits as they were on their way to exile for military training through Zeerust in 1963.
“The unveiling ceremony is part of promoting activities and events linked to the Liberation Heritage Route. This is in tandem with the strategic objectives of transforming the heritage landscape of Bokone Bophirima, to develop, preserve and promote the liberation site through tourism.”
President Jacob Zuma will deliver the keynote address during the event.
However, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said it categorically rejects the planned unveiling of a monument or statue in honor of uBaba Ka Duduzane (President Jacob Zuma). EFF provincial spokesperson, Thabo Sehloho said they believe that the provincial government under the leadership of Premier, Supra Mahumapelo is using tax payers’ money to fight ANC battles.
“The planned monument in honour of uBaba ka Duduzane is nothing, but a ploy to appease him as a leader of a faction in the ANC called the Premier League. This is also an attempt by Mahumapelo to negotiate a space in the leadership contest of the ruling party.
“Fundamentally, we reject the monument because that R6m used to design and erect that monument of uBaba Ka Duduzane could have been used to address infrastructure backlogs such as the provision of water, road infrastructure, housing and the electrification and the eradication of the bucket system in Gopane,” Sehloho said.
He further said the erection of the monument of ‘uBaba Ka Duduzane’ was not budgeted for in the current Annual Performance Plan by CATA. Sehloho added that the erection of the monument of ‘uBaba Ka Duduzane’ is part of a plan to consolidate the faction of the Premier League towards the ruling party’s National Conference in December.
“We believe that uBaba Ka Duduzane does not deserve that honour because of his pathetic leadership of the country. Under uBaba Ka Duduzane, South Africa has been downgraded twice by rating agencies and unemployment is extremely high at around 28%. uBaba Ka Duduzane has run down and factionalised key institutions supporting democracy such as The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), SABC and the Public Protectors Office amongst others.
“He used the Gupta’s as his frontline troopers to loot the state and colonise key parastatals such as Eskom, Transnet, The National Treasury and SAA amongst others. Today South Africa is synonymous with corruption and State Capture has been consolidated by his friends, the Guptas. His dismissal of the former Minister of Finance Pravin Gordan and his Deputy Mcebisi Jonas plunged the country in chaos of capital flight, the weakening of the national currency (the Rand) and also created uncertainty amongst investors hence South Africa has been displaced by Egypt as the number one destination for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI),” he said.
Sehloho said Zuma is a morally bankrupt leader who admitted to sleeping with an HIV positive woman while in a holy matrimony. He alleged that Zuma also impregnated Sonono Khoza while in an official marriage.
“Zuma is not fit to lead this country. Under the leadership of uBaba Ka Duduzane, the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality have worsened. So, we vow to bring down that monument of corruption,” he said.
The Guardian 