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Public Protector Must Investigate Delayed Construction of Sarah Baartman Centre

By

Dear Editor

The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls for the Public Protector to investigate the delayed construction of the Sarah Baartman Centre of Remembrance in Hankey in the Eastern Cape, which has been mired in mismanagement and inefficiency for over a decade.

Despite more than R200 million being spent and three contractors assigned to the project, the centre remains incomplete. Disputes with contractors and shoddy workmanship have stalled progress, and it is vital that those responsible for this wasteful expenditure are held accountable.

While the DA welcomes the commitment by Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, to collaborate with Sports, Arts, and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie to see the project through to completion, this must be accompanied by accountability for past failures. The investigation must uncover the reasons behind the repeated delays and ensure that taxpayers’ money is not wasted further.

This project has not only been a financial drain but has also shown a deep disrespect for the cultural significance of Sarah Baartman, an icon whose legacy is still deeply felt by women who face discrimination today. The continued delay disrespects her memory and reflects a broader disregard for coloured, Khoi, and San history.

The DA will monitor progress closely and hold the government to its promise of completing the centre, but it is clear that swift action and accountability are required to ensure this project is finally completed with integrity.

Regards

Liam Jacobs MP
DA Deputy Spokesperson on Sports, Arts and Culture

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Port Elizabethan

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