Ramaphosa: Cabinet approved R22m flag without inquiring about cost
President Cyril Ramaphosa says Cabinet approved the controversial R22 million monumental flag without inquiring about the costs involved in the project.
Ramaphosa made the remarks during a presidential community gathering imbizo in Carolina, Mpumalanga on Friday.
"With this uproar that has occurred in the nation about the flag that department had wanted to put up, an initiative which they have conceptualised came to Cabinet with it and we approved not having looked at the costs,” he said.
“Our people responded to the issue of the costs that it is not the wisest thing at the moment to go and put up a flag that is going to cost so much money."
The project, which was the brainchild of Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa, is under review after it was met with backlash from South Africans.
Ramaphosa says the decision to stop the project was because his government listens to the people.
"We are a listening government, we listened to our people and we decided that we are not going to proceed with the flag project because we want to listen to the voice of our people. That is a strength of our democracy. We are still a young democracy and when the people speak, those that have been elected to lead the people and implement the wishes of our people must listen.”
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