Evita Bezuidenhout, South Africa’s self-proclaimed “most famous white womanâ€, has launched a campaign to get President Jacob Zuma to do what many South Africans are waiting for: pay back the money.
“What would you do with the Nkandla money if you got it back?†@TannieEvita #CommitYourSelfie pic.twitter.com/SKHnNbpCvQ
— East Coast Breakfast (@ECRBreakfast) January 20, 2015
While the Economic Freedom Fighters and the Democratic Alliance (DA) are leading a political fight demanding Zuma repay taxpayers for funds spent on his renovated Nkandla homestead, Bezuidenhout has described her campaign, called #CommitYourSelfie, as a “public voice against corruption and pessimism, be it in government, management, or the corporate world.â€Â Right now, the campaign is centred on President Zuma and the allegations against him following the Nkandla controversy. #CommitYourSelfie asks South Africans what they think should be done with the money, encouraging discussion around how the money can be used for social change. “#PayBackTheMoney so that health, welfare, education, children, homes, hospitals, schools … and hundreds of other pillars of our society can benefit for all in a better future for all. Let the people lead and maybe the government will follow,†Bezuidenhout said in a press statement.Â
End the indignity of our people #CommitYourselfie #EradicateBucketSystem ##DownWithPotaPota #PayBackTheMoney pic.twitter.com/v2GarXKtLr — Anele Mfazwe (@mfazwe) January 20, 2015
To join the movement, South Africans are asked to write down what they would do with the money, add the hashtag #CommitYourSelfie, and tweet a photo of themselves with their poster to Bezuidenhout’s Twitter profile, @TannieEvita.
The deadline for submissions is the 28 January. From there, the images will be put together in a multimedia display that will be released in the run-up to the opening of Parliament on 12 February, where Zuma will present his state of the nation address.
#CommitYourSelfie #CaroSmit asks for #TrafficOfficers on duty 24/7 with the extra money to help save lives/injuries pic.twitter.com/A6dTIal6R1
— SA Agst DrunkDriving (@SADD_SA) January 20, 2015
So far, the campaign has drawn many supporters. Even DA leader Helen Zille decided to join in.
Read with your Child #CommitYourselfie pic.twitter.com/LOeYF7WEQ4 — Helen Zille (@helenzille) January 19, 2015
And what would Bezuidenhout do with the money?
“If these monies illegally and corruptly taken be returned so that the wheels of our democratic society can once again be properly oiled, we could all expect a better delivery of services to the people,†Bezuidenhout said.
The EFF started the #paybackthemoney slogan during a parliamentary question session with President Zuma in August 2014. The president walked out of Parliament and has not returned since. Meanwhile, Zuma has said he has always been willing to answer questions from MPs, but Parliament is an institution and not a place to shout slogans.
Featured image: Via Tannie Evita’s Facebook page.
