Opposition parties in eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality say it is an insult to local artists that two bronze statues of struggle icons Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo worth R22m were procured in China.

The municipality confirmed that the nine-metre-high statues have arrived in Durban from China and will be erected in the city soon.

eThekwini head of communications Lindiwe Khuzwayo said both statues cost roughly R22m in total, meaning each cost about R11m including VAT, ‘and this was the cheapest figure as compared to other prices from the artists who submitted their quotes’.

According to the municipality, the statues will be placed along Church Walk in Durban, and details of the unveiling will be shared in due course.

Background

The statue project was first raised in 2017 after council passed a resolution to transform the city hall precinct by adding statues of OR Tambo and Nelson Mandela along Church Walk.

The delivery of the statues was delayed by the outbreak of Covid-19. Each statue measures about nine metres in height, similar to the Mandela statue that was erected in Pretoria a few years ago.

Opposition parties

The DA in KZN said it will write to the public protector and the auditor-general to request that the statues be investigated.

According to DA KZN leader Francois Rodgers, the municipality allegedly redirected funds of almost R10m from the Tongaat waterworks as well as specialist firefighting vehicles for the purchase of the Mandela and Tambo statues.

DA eThekwini caucus leader Thabani Mthethwa said this was a classic case of questionable priorities by the ruling party.

“When this matter was tabled, the DA strongly suggested that this money be used to address water and electricity infrastructure, which we still feel needs urgent attention. The municipality shouldn’t be prioritising statues at the expense of service delivery. It is also an insult to local artists that this was procured in China,” he added.

IFP eThekwini spokesperson Mdu Nkosi said his party has opposed the statues, their costs and where they will be delivered from.

Nkosi said he did not believe South Africa and Africa as a whole was short of sculptors.

“We were also concerned that it had to be two statues; we believe one of Madiba would have made sense as he was a global icon, but to have one of OR Tambo was an ANC agenda.

“We don’t understand how the ANC makes a decision to spend so much money just on statues while there are people without homes and there is a water crisis?” said Nkosi.