Mpumalanga government vows to deal with ‘fake’ Madiba statue
The provincial government in
Mpumalanga has vowed to deal with the unhappiness over a statue of former
president Nelson Mandela unveiled at the end of September.
The statue, which cost R8.3 million, has come under scrutiny for "a number of material artistic deficiencies”.
The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) in the province recently threatened to tear the statue down, describing it as in insult to the former president.
Premier Refilwe Mtshweni’s spokesperson Zibonele Mncwango says they have written to the province’s MEC for Culture, Sports and Recreation Thandi Shongwe to ask her to address the issue.
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"The premier further asked MEC Shongwe to enforce remedial action aimed at addressing the inconsistencies within 30 days, since the statue had failed in its intended objective to pay homage to the legacy of former President Nelson Mandela," Mncwango says.
The statue - located at the entrance of the Mpumalanga legislature in Mbombela - was commissioned by then-premier David Mabuza.