Sello Shai-Morule from Nehawu says the statue of Nelson Mandela is a disrespect to the former president.

“In Mpumalanga we have a problem of people stealing money through corrupt activities. In the past they would channel finances into infrastructure so that they can steal it,” he said

Members of the union picketing outside the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature.

In a statement premier Refilwe Mtshweni said she was aware of the unhappiness as expressed by the citizens in the province regarding the statue when it was unveiled at the end of September.

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Shortly after the official unveiling of the statue, Mtshweni noted a number of material artistic deficiencies, and she wrote to Culture Sports and Recreation MEC Thandi Shongwe to address the inconsistencies.

he premier further asked 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.
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Mtshweni is respecting the opinions and the perceptions people have about the statue, and is calling for calm and patience as she is dealing with the matter.