Cabinet’s decision to erect a monumental flag and the review of the project as proposed will be referred to Cabinet for further discussion and final decision; this is in the light of the fact that one of the key mandates of the department is to promote nation-building and social cohesion. National symbols, especially the national flag, expresses the country’s common identity, which is pivotal to building a common national identity and advancing unity.
The budget of R22 million that was allocated for the monumental flag project over two financial years is within the infrastructure unit of the Department. The Infrastructure Unit is responsible for implementing various infrastructure projects. There is therefore no need for a public participation process to guide the Infrastructure Unit of the Department on the re-allocation of funds to various projects.