Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa at the statue of Nelson Mandela in Durban. (Photo: @PresidencyZA/X)
Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa believes the value of the bronze statues of Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo, which cost around R22 million, is actually “incalculable”.
The statues were unveiled by Ramaphosa in Durban on Tuesday and in the meantime there was sharp criticism about the costs involved given the eThekwini municipality’s problems with service delivery.
In a speech during an event of the eThekwini presidential working group, Ramaphosa said that the contributions that Mandela and Tambo made regarding development and transformation in the country cannot be measured in rand and cents.
“Yes, of course, everything that happens in our country is controversial and debated. People are either in favor of it or against it.”
He said the statues aim to pay tribute to the “two giant leaders” and that the statues will become tourist attractions that will ultimately bring economic benefits to the area.
Ramaphosa said during the unveiling that monuments of this nature are important for the preservation of the country’s history and heritage.
“Naturally, statues like these provoke questions and start conversations about their value, but more importantly, about our past. The presence of Mandela and Tambo in bronze ensures that their stories and indeed the story of our country remain embedded in the landscape of daily life, not limited to textbooks.”
The statue of Oliver Tambo in Durban. (Photo: @PresidencyZA/X)
Ramaphosa said the statues are being unveiled knowing that people from all over the country and around the world will want to see them.
“eThekwini is one of the leading tourist destinations in our country and we can expect these statues to contribute to extraordinary growth in tourism.
“These statues are more than just art. These statues are promises – promises made by a free people to themselves that they will not forget what it cost to be free.
“Erecting the statues is an act of national gratitude to say to those who gave everything and to the Mandela and Tambo families that we remember the sacrifices made by both these leaders and their families.”