Where Madiba’s legacy lingers
SOUTH Africans and visitors to our country don’t have to look too far to find landmarks and statues that capture the rich legacy of former president Nelson Mandela.
Never before has the world been so impacted by the boundless spirit of reconciliation of one man, in his efforts to free his people.
Likenesses of our beloved Madiba are not limited to our shores, with the latest statue unveiled at the United Nations headquarters in New York two months ago.
When Mandela was released in February 1990 and made his first public appearance at the Grand Parade in Cape Town, the world’s media were there to capture the mood as thousands thronged the streets in celebration.
Mandela addressed the crowd from a balcony at City Hall and to this day, people can tell you where they were, how they managed to get a glimpse of him by climbing trees and street poles.
That moment has now been frozen in time with the unveiling in July of a life-size statue of Mandela on the balcony, with his unifying clenched fist raised.
Invited guests included Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Miss South Africa 2018 winner Tamaryn Green, Western Cape Premier Helen Zille and then Cape Town Mayor Patricia De Lille who used the opportunity to urge South Africans to keep Mandela’s legacy alive.
The statue stands at 1.95 metres tall and weighs 120 kilograms. It was cast in bronze at Sculpting Casting Services in Strand. Mandela is wearing a grey suit identical to the one worn on the day and even his accessories, including a polka dot print tie, belt buckle and a white pocket square have been included as details. In his hand, he holds a page bearing the first paragraph from the speech. He is also holding a pair of spectacles in his hand.
The original design of the statue was made as a small maquette, and once the Provincial and City of Cape Town officials were happy with the design, it was 3D printed at full size in a foam that could be easily carved. The detail was then added using a kind of putty before the statue was cast in bronze.
Bronze is also the medium used in the life sized statue unveiled at the UN General Assembly on September 24.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said it would be constant reminder to the international community of the dedication of Mandela to the mission of the UN to secure freedom from apartheid.
Howick in KwaZulu-Natal has the Capture Site, where Mandela was arrested in August 1952 which led to the Rivonia Trial where he was sentenced to life imprisonment.
It is the work of Marco Cianfanelli and Jeremy Rose, and consists of 50 steel rods, that produce a profile image of Mandela when you are standing in the correct spot.
In the gardens of the Union Building in Pretoria is the statue by sculptor Andre Prinsloo, which was unveiled 11 days after Nelson Mandela died. It was here that his body lay in state ahead of his burial in the Eastern Cape.
The Drakenstein Prison in Cape Town where Mandela was imprisoned, has its own Madiba statue at the gate, crafted by Jean Doyle, who captured the ANC leader in his iconic and triumphant strut.
Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton has its own Mandela likeness and hardly a minute goes by without someone taking selfies or group shots of themselves in front of it.
Downtown Johannesburg has its Nelson Mandela Bridge that links Braamfontein to Newtown, with its pretty lights that are there to remind us that darkness is always replaced by light.