Provincial spokesperson, Brian Setswambung, said the building of the statue forms part of the North West Department of Culture, Arts and Traditional Affairs’ key responsibilities in the preservation of South African heritage and history.

The North West government said it is an undeniable fact that President Zuma was arrested by the apartheid regime police in the Groot Marico area while on his way to Botswana along with others.

Opposition parties lambasted the suggested proposal saying it was a waste of state resources to carry on with the R6 million project in the Ngaka Modiri Molema Municipality.

The public also had mixed reactions to the news of the #ZumaStatue on social media.

Eff NW to oppose #Zumastatue@SOPA next Friday

— Dimakatso DMK Genkoe (@DmkGenkoe) February 17, 2017

They must give the tender to this guy ????????#ZumaStatue pic.twitter.com/olbABeWIS7

— Miss Lelo (@MsLeloB) February 18, 2017

I'd vouch for former President Thabo Mbeki's statue over Jacob Zuma anyday

Unfortunately JZ isn't an icon,no matter his past yo #ZumaStatue

— Tshepang ? (@tshepi_cherry) February 20, 2017

So this is happening and we are paying for it. @EFFSouthAfrica this seems to be something you may be interested in https://t.co/LPz3K8Eh2c

— NoNameMonkey (@HattinghMatthew) February 16, 2017

@ThatColinWardle @StueyMax @OFMNews9497 it will only bring bad memories

— bahumi marumo (@bahumi_marumo) February 16, 2017

??????. Really? https://t.co/CjyCmDo9Fj

— Tyrone Maseko (@tyronemaseko) February 16, 2017

'Thieving Man in Bronze' https://t.co/wI8DCsWM6C

— Twinkerbell (@KatlehoMchalla) February 16, 2017

The North West government says the construction of a six-metre statuette of President Jacob Zuma in Groot Marico should be completed by June this year if everything goes according to plan.

OFM News