By Celani Sikhakhane
And then they arrived five years late.
Questions have been raised among eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality’s officials after the arrival of two giant statues of struggle icons Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo from China.
In 2018 rumours emerged that eThekwini intended to approve the R20 million for the creation of two 9-metre high statues.
These rumours were dismissed by the then ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa and eThekwini officials.
“The eThekwini senior officials even denied the authorisation of these sculptures and the approval of R20 million. We wonder what they are going to say now because the Chinese have delivered something they had denied approving before,” said a senior official.
“These statues are still kept somewhere and no decision has been made on where they are going to be erected. Some politicians want them to be placed in Mgababa where Oliver Tambo paid his first visit after coming from exile. Others want them to be in the presence of Durban City Hall to attract tourists.”
One source said there was a time when eThekwini was no longer willing to pay but the Chinese insisted that they wanted their money.
She said the Chinese even said that they could destroy the sculptures but they would still demand their payments.
Last year eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality confirmed the approval of these statues, which were ready to be shipped to South Africa from China.
eThekwini Deputy Mayor Zandile Myeni told Scrolla.Africa: “I cannot comment on the matter because it is planned to be discussed in the next council sitting.”
The Metro was expecting the sculptures to arrive last year but the war in Ukraine delayed those plans.
Head of Communication in eThekwini, Lindiwe Khuzwayo, promised to respond to Scrolla.Africa’s questions but failed to do so before publication.
Pictured above: The giant statues of Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo have finally arrived in Durban
Image source: Supplied
