- Unveiling King Shaka’s statue helped calm tensions in KwaZulu-Natal’s unity government after recent disagreements.
- President Ramaphosa said Shaka belongs to all South Africans. The R4.2-million statue replaces an older version rejected in 2011.
The unveiling of King Shaka’s statue has helped heal divisions in KwaZulu-Natal’s unity government, which nearly fell apart this week over ANC complaints.
Provincial leaders met publicly for the first time at Thursday’s ceremony, sharing jokes and praising each other’s work.
King Misuzulu kaZwelithini spoke about the importance of unity.
“King Shaka believed in the strength of women. That is why there were women during his reign who played a vital role in the leadership of the nation. Let me tell you, no one has ever succeeded alone. Even in business, you have to work with other people to be successful,” he said.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said the statue represents unity because Shaka wasn’t just a Zulu king but belonged to all South Africans.
He said colonial writers got Shaka’s story wrong while promoting Jan van Riebeeck.
“A statue such as this one we are unveiling today represents not just a great person, but a history, a value system, and the aspirations of a people,” said Ramaphosa.
The R4.2-million statue comes 13 years after the late King Zwelithini rejected a R3.2-million version in 2011.
That statue was removed and replaced with today’s 11-metre-tall monument.
Pictured above: King Shaka’s statue unveiling reunites the KwaZulu-Natal Government of Provincial Unity that almost collapsed.
Source: Celani Sikhakhane
