AfriForum against Zuma monument: Protest monument erected in Groot Marico

AfriForum and AfriForum Youth erected a symbolic monument in Groot Marico in the North West Province today that contains 783 nuts for every corruption complaint against Pres. Jacob Zuma.

This follows after the North West Provincial Government recently started erecting a monument for Zuma that will cost about R1,7 million.

AfriForum submitted two separate PAIA applications in May and June this year to obtain certain information about the erection of the statue after the announcement that a larger statue would be erected at R6 million.

The North West Government decided on the smaller monument after opposition from opposition parties and the community. 

Today’s activist action was cut short right after the erection of the symbolic monument, however, when bystanders started threatening the AfriForum and AfriForum Youth delegation with violence and destruction of their equipment.

“It is sad that politicians can influence a community to the extent that it becomes riotous. Groot Marico is in ruins and the community does not realise that the money can rather be used to upgrade infrastructure and provide informal settlements with basic services,” says Tiaan Oosthuizen, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for the North West.

Oosthuizen also says that they had to leave the town as a result of threats and violent actions. “This was only activism to illustrate our unhappiness, but it quickly turned into a racial issue. We will never approve the erection of this monument,” he concludes.