The ANC in eThekwini has rejected calls by the IFP to have a statue of its founder, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, placed alongside former ANC presidents Nelson Mandela and Oliver Reginald Tambo in Kwazulu-Natal.
Image: Leon Lestrade
The ANC in eThekwini has rejected a call for the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s statue to erected alongside statues of Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo in Durban, arguing that it does not regard Buthelezi as a liberation struggle hero.
Last week, KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi called for the erection of the late Prince Buthelezi's statue alongside that of Mandela and Tambo - the statues were recently unveiled by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Buthelezi (Thulasizwe) who is also a senior IFP member, had argued that South African history without the IFP founder is incomplete, as Mangosuthu Buthelezi had kept the freedom struggle alive while the ANC was banned.
However, the ANC disagreed, saying that 'comparing Buthelezi to liberation icons such as Tambo and Mandela would be a distortion of the history of the country'. In a statement, the ANC in the eThekwini region said while 'Buthelezi is respected as an elder statesman, particularly in the post-democratic era, it would be dishonest to elevate him to the level of a liberation struggle hero'.
IFP founder, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi died in 2023.
Image: Bonile Bam
“The truth remains, regardless of time and space, and his turbulent and conflicted history is there for all to reflect upon. We therefore wish to reiterate our support for the decision taken by the eThekwini Municipality to honour the genuine heroes of the struggle for emancipation and liberation in South Africa.
"It is therefore both appropriate and necessary that the democratic state continues to honour those whose contributions to the liberation of our people are beyond dispute,” read the statement.
Prior to his death in 2023, Buthelezi had called for unity talks (with the ANC) and wanted the renewal of his ANC membership, arguing that he had never resigned. He also argued that his party, the IFP, was an ANC project, saying he had been directed by Tambo and late Zambian president Kenneth Kaunda to establish the party to continue with the liberation struggle inside the country after the ANC was banned.
The IFP's call for a Buthelezi statue emerged amidst discussion on the ANC only framing their leaders as those who contributed to the attainment of freedom in the country. The matter resurfaced after the ANC-led eThekwini Municipality built two giant statues of Mandela and Tambo at a cost of R22 million despite the persistent water and electricity crisis in the city.
MEC Buthelezi's sentiments were shared by a political analyst, Professor Ntsikelelo Breakfast who called on the ANC to stop framing their own leaders as the only champions of freedom in the country. Breakfast argued that it is unimaginable that out of 25 universities in the country, none is named after other struggle icons such as Steve Biko.
“We have Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and in the same city we have Nelson Mandela Bay University, so everything is about ANC leaders and that does not paint the correct picture of South Africa’s history,” said Breakfast.
willem.phungula@inl.co.za