R22 million for statues: President Ramaphosa unveils two major monuments in Durban
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President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially unveiled two major monuments in Durban, honouring liberation struggle icons Oliver Tambo and Nelson Mandela. The nine-metre bronze statue of Tambo, the ANC’s first president, now stands along the beachfront, while a second statue of Mandela was unveiled at Moses Mabhida Stadium. The two structures cost a combined R22 million, with eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba reflecting on the historical weight of the beachfront site, reminding attendees that it was there, just two weeks after his release from prison, that Mandela called for an end to violence, urging people to “throw pangas, spears and guns into the sea.”
However, the unveiling has sparked political debate. The DA’s eThekwini mayoral candidate, Hanif Hoosen, led a beachfront demonstration, arguing that the funds should have prioritised fixing failing sewer infrastructure, particularly amid ongoing concerns about sewage flowing into the ocean. The municipality maintains the statues were funded through the city’s tourism budget and not from service-delivery allocations. Public sentiment also shares the same frustration that with thousands of social ills in the metro, why is R22 million being directed to such a project.
Here's what you had to say about it...
However, the unveiling has sparked political debate. The DA’s eThekwini mayoral candidate, Hanif Hoosen, led a beachfront demonstration, arguing that the funds should have prioritised fixing failing sewer infrastructure, particularly amid ongoing concerns about sewage flowing into the ocean. The municipality maintains the statues were funded through the city’s tourism budget and not from service-delivery allocations. Public sentiment also shares the same frustration that with thousands of social ills in the metro, why is R22 million being directed to such a project.
Here's what you had to say about it...
