Statues have been in the news of late – ask Cecil John Rhodes and King George. Both the universities of Cape Town and UKZN want them gone from their campuses.
Endumeni is no stranger to statue controversies: the Mandela statue – purportedly costing over R2-million – was eventually removed from in front of the municipality after the Mayor was accused by the sculptors of reneging on a promise to pay them the millions.
No one is sure where Nelson’s image is now languishing and the matter has slid off the news scale. However, a move by Amafa – the Provincial heritage body – to instill pride in heritage and history, will see a new statue being erected in Dundee.
King Cetshwayo’s statue will be put up in front of the Civic Centre to mark Heritage Day. “Ratepayers do not have to jump up and down as we are covering the costs. The sculptors are from China so we know that we are going to get a good deal,” said Amafa’s, Vincent Gogh.
All towns are to get a King Cetshwayo statue in front of their municipalities. “Remember, this is the Zulu King who gave the British a hiding so we need to respect that. Okay, the redcoats may have won at Rorke’s Drift and at Ulundi but that does not really matter. All tourists go to Isandlwana where the British came short – and we need to remember that.”
The statue will be about five metres tall and erected on a plinth. “It will be very sturdy so we do not expect vandals to push it down.” Sixty such statues for KZN towns have been ordered and while Amafa was not revealing the price, Mr Gogh was confident that “the bulk order will keep the price per unit rock bottom.”
A huge party in front of the municipality is being planned to celebrate the unveiling of the new statute which will also be a tourism attraction.