THE MINISTER of the Department of Cooperative Governance and Indigenous Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, has officially announced plans to build a national monument to honor the Prince of KwaPhindangene, King Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
Speaking at a ceremony to award outstanding municipalities in this province in2026 KZN Municipal Excellence Awards, at the King Albert Luthuli International Convention Center in Durban, the Minister said that a third model is needed to complete the history of the country’s freedom struggle.
He was talking about the third model because there are others recently opened by the President of the country, which were honored by the former President of the ANC Mr. Oliver Tambo and the first President in the democratic government, Dr. Nelson Mandela, which is located on the beach in Durban.
In his speech, the Minister described the Prince of Phindangene as a person who became a bridge in connecting the ANC that was in exile and bringing this country to a democratic government.
“Mptwana made a struggle and won it in South Africa. When the apartheid government silenced Tambo and Mandela, Buthelezi was the voice of the oppressed.”
The Minister emphasized that the two models in Durban do not present a bright picture of the collaborative leadership that is transforming South Africa. He said the placement of Buthelezi’s statue next to Mandela’s and Tambo’s will ensure that history is not distorted.
“The two statues in Durban are incomplete without the statue of Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.” At this event, they left each other in style, the level of fashion was so high that it was as if the dignitaries were in Durban July. They were feeding each other in the kitchen, you can see that it was sewn.