Durban's giant bronze statues of Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo, still wrapped in plastic, have become unlikely festive-season punchlines and a lightning rod for anger over service delivery. Critics call the R22m commission vanity spending amid sewage failures and potholes, while Mayor Cyril Xaba insists the unveiling is imminent.

The eThekwini mayor, Cyril Xaba, is adamant that the two huge statues towering over Durban's popular promenade (at present, wrapped in plastic and shrouded in controversy) will be unveiled soon.

The 9m bronze statues of Oliver Tambo and Nelson Mandela are the subject of derisive social media comments from ratepayers who have roasted the controversial R22-million commission.

The works, by artist Lungelo Gumede, were installed in August.

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What was meant to glorify the two Struggle heroes and enhance the city's tourism offering has stirred up a hornets' nest around spending priorities in an election year.

The Mandela statue is in the precinct between the Moses Mabhida and Kings Park stadiums, while the statue of Tambo is about 2km away in front of the Bay of Plenty.

"They are an absolute waste of money," says Asad Gaffar from the eThekwini Ratepayers Protest Movement.

"What value will these statues add when we have other, more pressing issues? Wastewater plants are not working, and street lights are broken."

Opposition parties are having a field day with the statues.

'Symbol of embarrassment'

Haniff Hoosen, the Democratic Alliance mayoral candidate, posted a video that has since gone viral, slamming the city's priorities.

Hoosen said...