Awaiting to be unveiled is the statue of Nelson Mandela outside the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
Image: Zainul Dawood
The eThekwini Municipality stated that the bronze statues of Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo, costing R22 million, are part of the government’s broader programme to transform the country’s heritage landscape, reflect the diverse history of its people, and promote local tourism.
The sighting of both statues, covered in plastic sheeting and fenced off from the public, has raised eyebrows as residents await the municipality's announcement of the official unveiling date.
The statues stand at nine meters high. Tambo’s statue is located along North Beach, while Mandela’s statue is positioned in the parking lot of Moses Mabhida Stadium, facing Kings Park Athletic Stadium.
Mandela was the country's former president, while Tambo was the ANC's president between 1967 and 1991. Tambo, Mandela, and Walter Sisulu also formed the ANC Youth League in 1944.
The controversy surrounding the statues began when they were first passed in council in 2019, and again in October 2022, the municipality approved R1 million for their installation, which left opposition political parties fuming.
Initially, the statues were supposed to be placed outside Durban City Hall, but a sudden change of plans caught the municipal councillors off guard.
Recently, the DA’s eThekwini Mayoral Candidate, Haniff Hoosen, stated that the matter was reported to the Public Protector to investigate the decision to spend R22 million on statues while the city faces an uncontrollable water and sanitation crisis.
“The municipality redirected funds from purchasing fire engines and repairing water infrastructure at the Tongaat water works towards the building of these statues,” he said.
In previous municipal council reports, the municipality explained that eThekwini, one of the largest cities in South Africa, lacked memorials or significant statues honouring the contributions of both Tambo and Mandela. Additionally, it was noted that South Africa's inherited heritage landscape was heavily skewed and not inclusive, as it aimed to preserve and celebrate the history and heritage of the white minority.
The municipality stated in its report that most statues only depict the bravery and history of the colonists and apartheid architects.
In previous municipal reports, eThekwini Deputy Mayor Philani Mavundla stated that observations had been made that the municipal logo and statues within the municipal areas did not represent the diverse racial groups.
A recent statement on the statues by municipal spokesperson Gugu Sisilana revealed that there were no delays in unveiling them.
She said that all plans are in place and the dates of the unveiling will be announced to the public soon.
zainul.dawood@inl.co.za