By Zukile Majova
Political Editor
They still cannot give a clear account of the newly acquired R22 million statues that just arrived in Durban from China, but the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has announced plans to build another mega-size statue.
This time, provincial chairperson Siboniso Duma said the statue will be of Inkosi yamaNazareth aseBuhleni; the founder of the Nazareth Baptist Church Prophet Isaiah Mloyiswa Mdliwamafa Shembe.
The revered prophet is hailed as a “catalyst for social cohesion and unity of the people in this province”.
This is as two giant statues of ANC stalwarts Nelson Mandela and OR Tambo lie still unwrapped at eThekwini Metro.
They were purchased from a Chinese sculptor at an eye-watering price of R22 million.
Scrolla.Africa recently revealed that the council nip and tucked money from service delivery budgets to raise the loot.
Yogis Govender, the DA eThekwini executive committee member, said at least R7.8 million meant for firefighting vehicles and for the repair of the Tongaat Water Works was nicked to fund the Chinese statues without any justification.
“Over the years, the expenditure appears to have ballooned, with project estimates initially touted at R11 million.
“In the 2020 adjustment budget, funds to the tune of R6.5 million, originally earmarked for specialist firefighting vehicles were redirected for the two contentious struggle statues. In the same budget, a further sum of R1.3 million was adjusted away from purchasing vehicles. Last year, money was then redirected away from the Tongaat Water Works for the statues,” said Govender.
Leaders of the ANC including Police Minister Bheki Cele and Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa along with KZN Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube all knelt bare-foot before the current leader of the church, affectionately known as Inkosi Unyazi LweZulu who narrated a rich history of the church.
“Inkosi subsequently questioned why the government had not deemed it fit to construct a statue of its founder as part of the preservation and promotion of the Church’s history.
“Cde Zizi Kodwa in his capacity as the minister of Sport, Art and Culture then offered to formally start the process on key aspects of this important national assignment of global importance,” the party said in a statement.
The ANC has been on a campaign to improve relations with the church which has a membership of over eight million congregants.
Another important traditional stakeholder being charmed by the ANC ahead of the 2024 national general elections is the Zulu Royal Family whose leader, Zulu Monarch King Misuzulu kaZwelithini was gifted a R5 million super-luxurious Land Rover Range Rover.
