Overview
- The bronze figures stand at North Beach for Oliver Tambo and near Moses Mabhida Stadium for Nelson Mandela after Tuesday’s unveiling.
- ActionSA, the DA and the MK party condemned the R22 million spend, arguing funds should target water, sanitation and other service backlogs.
- eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba said the project draws from a tourism allocation and does not reduce service delivery work, citing a R1.2 billion pipeline replacement serving about 1.2 million people.
- President Cyril Ramaphosa said the statues’ heritage value outweighs their price and signaled plans to invite SADC leaders to lay wreaths during a Durban gathering later this year.
- Following the ceremony, Ramaphosa convened the Presidential eThekwini Working Group to review progress on governance, infrastructure and economic interventions, with no new decisions disclosed.