Durban — Opposition parties have poured cold water on the announcement of a monument to mark the arrival of the first Indians in South Africa in 1860.
That is because the provincial government has been singing the same tune since 2010 but nothing has come to fruition.
Finance MEC Peggy Nkonyeni, delivering the provincial budget this week, said R4.1 million would be allocated to the Department of Arts and Culture for the statue.
“These funds were recalled into the Provincial Revenue Fund a number of years ago when this project was showing little progress,” said Nkonyeni.
The project would be completed by next year.
“The monument is in the process of being erected alongside the uShaka marine promenade in Durban. The project should be completed in seven to eight months,” said Nkonyeni.
There was no enthusiasm from the opposition with the DA’s Bradley Singh dismissing the announcement as a gesture to garner votes from the Indian community.
“This project was mooted in 2010 and has not made much progress because’ some individuals saw a chance to make money out of it and that is why it has stalled over the years,” said Singh.
He accused the government of having its priorities skewed, insisting there were more pressing issues for residents, especially those living in Durban.
“Right now the people of eThekwini do not need statues but want water as some of them have gone for days without access to water,” said Singh.
EFF MPL Monde Thwala said the announcement was a fishing trip by the ruling party.
“This project has all the hallmarks of a party that is trying by all means to draw support where it can, when there was all the time in the world to finish the project but it had not done so,” said Thwala.
Thwala warned that the EFF would closely monitor the project to ensure that the funds were properly spent and accounted for.
“We know how in the past some projects have been undertaken with the sole purpose of siphoning money from the public coffers in order to serve individual interests, and we are saying it is not going to happen in our name,” Thwala said.
The IFP’s Blessed Gwala said the move by the government raised suspicions because the project had been delayed for many years.
He said pouring money into it amounted to fiscal dumping ahead of the elections. He, like other MPLs from the opposition benches, accused the government of attempting to court South African Indian voters through the monument.
Gwala said: “The project has been in the works for more than 10 years without seeing the light of day. This is because of the lack of capacity in the province and eThekwini Municipality.
“Then suddenly we are told that in 2024 the monument will be completed. People should not use the project to woo votes and think that we are blind.”
Gwala called on the MEC to halt the project until the new administration has been installed after the May 29 elections.
Sunday Tribune