Durban - The KwaZulu-Natal government is threatening to withdraw R4.8 million transferred to the eThekwini Municipality for building a monument to remember indentured Indian labourers.
“We are not getting the sense of urgency from eThekwini,” acting director-general Frikkie Brooks told the portfolio committee for the premier and royal household on Tuesday.
“There is a possibility that we may be heading for a retraction of the funding,” Brooks said of the money, transferred to eThekwini in March.
Brooks made the statement when reporting back on the progress made on the long-awaited monument.
The monument, aimed to honour the arrival of indentured Indian labourers in Durban in 1860 and the contribution of the Indian community to South Africa, was first allocated R50m when Zweli Mkhize was premier in 2010/11.
Its funding has been rolled over since and the office of the premier apparently received an audit finding from the auditor-general.
At the heart of the project is the identification of a site for the monument and appointment of an artist to create the statue.
On Tuesday, Brooks said eThekwini notified his department on Monday that a site had been identified in Durban’s uShaka entertainment park.
“We were not afforded an opportunity to have a look at the site,” he said. Brooks said he planned taking up the matter with city manager, Sibusiso Sithole.
Brooks also indicated that he and Premier Senzo Mchunu had agreed on Tuesday to give the metro 10 days to play its part.
“Before the retraction is done, we must apply our minds,” MPL Makhosini Nkosi said.
DA leader, Sizwe Mchunu, asked: “Does it mean the project will come to a standstill or be cancelled?”
Brooks said they wanted the facility developed, but they could not risk a negative audit. “That will be seen as a recurring (finding),” he said. Brooks said the possible withdrawal of the transferred funds would be the last resort.
“That is not an option we would like to pursue, but we will have to consider,” he said.
MPL Zwelifile Ntuli said since a site was identified, there had been some progress.
“Let’s talk about how we can do it. Maybe, refer it to another department,” he said.
The premier said there had to be co-operation between the provincial government and the metro.
He revealed that he was meeting mayor James Nxumalo and Sithole next week. “We can’t have an unending discussion on the monument,” Mchunu said.
Referring to a possible audit finding on the project if not completed this financial year, he said his office had to ensure its integrity was not affected.
“We shall put pressure on them to say: ‘Let’s make a move’,” Mchunu said.
A report tabled at the committee by eThekwini metro’s Guy Redman showed that a tender for the monument was to have been put out by month end.
The report, dated June 11, said once the site had been identified, permission would have to be sought from the council to use the land.
“The landscaping of the site has not yet been done because it is dependent upon identification of the site. Once the site is identified, then landscaping would be done,” Redman said.
The report envisaged the production and erection of the monument taking two months and one week.
The premier’s office came under fire on the issue last year from the IFP.
Party MPL and national chairman, Blessed Gwala, said at the time that the delay “smacked” of poor planning or the premier waiting for the appropriate time to use this project to woo Indian votes.
“Either way this is unacceptable and an insult to the Indian community. To this date the project has not seen the light of day and the budget, having been rolled over twice, had to be returned to the revenue fund,” he said.
Spokesman for the 1860 organising committee, which represents all 1860 groupings across the province, Seelan Archary, said he was frustrated it was taking so long.
“Almost 155 years have passed since the labourers arrived. It was supposed to commemorate 150 years since their arrival,” he said.
Durban is no stranger to controversy when it comes to its statues.
Work was halted on an elephant sculpture in Warwick Junction in 2010 because of its resemblance to the IFP’s logo. It was recently completed.
Another sculpture of King Shaka was removed from the King Shaka International Airport in 2010 after everything from its face to its attire annoyed King Goodwill Zwelithini.
It has not yet been replaced.
Daily News