President Cyril Ramaphosa will visit eThekwini tomorrow morning (March 3), to unveil landmark statues honouring President Nelson Mandela and Oliver Reginald Tambo, and to convene the Presidential eThekwini Working Group later in the day.

The 10m statues have been installed in North Beach and the Moses Mabhida Stadium precinct, and were initially due for unveiling on March 6.

The statues celebrate the historic contribution made by both leaders to the country’s liberation and democracy and are directed at enhancing the city’s cultural and heritage tourism offering. The unveiling forms part of the municipality’s commitment to promote Durban as a heritage tourism destination,” said eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba.

The move has seen a backlash from ratepayers and residents, citing skewed priorities in the midst of ailing infrastructure and a lack of service delivery.

Also read: City agrees to erect Mandela, Tambo statues in Durban

Following the unveiling ceremony, Ramaphosa will convene a meeting of the Presidential eThekwini Working Group (PeWG) at the Durban ICC.

The Presidential eThekwini Working Group, established in April 2024, is a collaborative initiative between The Presidency, the eThekwini  Municipality and the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) to address service delivery challenges, improve infrastructure, stabilise governance, and enhance economic growth in the municipality. The meeting will bring together key stakeholders, including business and organised labour leaders, Ministers, Premier Thami Ntuli, MECs, senior government officials, and the Mayor of eThekwini Municipality.

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