TWO NEW MANDELA STATUES UNVEILED IN THE EASTERN CAPE LEAVE BITTER TASTE, AS DURBAN PREPARES TO UNVEIL ANOTHER AT R22 MILLION COST TO TAXPAYER

The construction and unveiling of two new statues of former president Nelson Mandela in the Eastern Cape have sparked controversy and criticism from the public. Some individuals argue that erecting statues while millions live in poverty is an insult. The statues, costing R3 million, were unveiled as part of Nelson Mandela Day celebrations, commemorating his 67 years of fighting against apartheid. The project was led by the Nelson Mandela Museum in collaboration with the Department of Sports Arts and Culture, the OR Tambo District Municipality, and the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality.

Vuyani Booi, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Museum, defended the statues, stating that although they do not directly address poverty, they would attract tourists and contribute to the development of liberation heritage tourism. However, this is not an isolated incident. In June, the eThekwini Municipality announced a R22 million project to unveil statues of Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo outside the Durban City Hall. The statues, imported from China, are currently in storage while the municipality plans their location and unveiling.

The decision to erect these statues has been met with criticism on social media, with many questioning the necessity of additional statues while poverty and infrastructure issues persist. Sonwabile Macontywa, a heritage expert, emphasized the need to go beyond symbolic gestures and consider the tangible benefits for communities. Macontywa suggested that heritage sites could be commercialized with the involvement of equity partners to benefit local communities.

Eastern Cape premier and ANC chairperson in the province, Oscar Mabuyane, defended the statues, stating that the government is actively working on infrastructure development and job creation. He argued that the significance of the statues extends beyond monetary value, emphasizing the importance of social cohesion. Mabuyane maintained that having statues of Nelson Mandela as a leader and the first president of the democratic dispensation holds great importance.

Writing in an opinion piece in September 2020, former foreign affairs editor for Independent Media, Shannon Ebrahim, wrote: “We should never underestimate the emotive importance of statues and what they mean in our society.

“They are a reminder of the people our society considered great, people worthy of respect and looking up to. That is why we put them on pedestals and honour them in central places in our towns and cities, so future generations will pay tribute to them.”