DA opposes turning Pretoria City Hall into Iranian cultural centre

The Democratic Alliance (DA) said it was opposed to the sale, lease, or donation of the Pretoria City Hall to the Embassy of Iran to establish a so-called ‘cultural centre’.

DA Tshwane Caucus Leader Cilliers Brink released a press statement, said Iran is not interested in a plan to revive the City Hall.

“Rather, it wants the City to consider contributing a parcel of a municipal building,” Brink said in his statement.

“Why Tshwane would even consider gifting, or otherwise alienating, a historical cultural asset to a foreign government is beyond comprehension.”

Brink said the situation is made worse by the initial denials by the Iranian Embassy that it has approached the city.

In the letter to the Tshwane MMC responsible for property management, Kholofelo Morudi, the Embassy touts various social and economic benefits of such a ‘cultural centre’.

“This is apparently what prompted the MMC to give Iranian officials a tour of City Hall. But the benefits of Iran’s offer are dubious, at best,” he said.

Brink argued that Iran has a far stronger relationship with the ANC than it does with the South African people.

“Iranian investment in South Africa is minuscule compared, for example, with that of the United States,” Brink said.

He added that for the last three decades, the ANC has confused its interests with South Africa’s national interests.

“Their close proximity to Iran is one of the factors that has complicated our country’s relationship with the United States,” he said.

The United States is South Africa’s second-largest trading partner and has a substantial stake in the automotive sector, which provides tens of thousands of jobs to residents of Tshwane.

“South Africa is in negotiations with the United States to shore up the relationship between our countries. Its capital city should not undermine these efforts,” Brink said.