Traditional leaders boycott unveiling of statues

Traditional leaders from Ngcobo boycotted the unveiling at the weekend of life-size bronze statues of two ANC freedom fighters born in the town — former party president Dr AB Xuma and former secretary-general Walter Sisulu.

Sisulu hailed from Quthubeni village and Xuma was from Manzana.

The unveiling of the statues was part of the region’s Heritage Month celebrations.

In June, the Ngcobo municipality officially changed its name to Dr AB Xuma local municipality.

AmaQwathi spokesperson Prince Dabulingwe Ndzima said none of the traditional leaders of AmaHlala, AmaJumba and AmaQwathi had attended the weekend event.

“We felt insulted and undermined. There has been no proper and meaningful consultation of traditional leaders in the renaming of the municipality and also on unveiling of the statues.

“We respect the ANC and its leadership, but that does not mean we should be treated as nonentities and insulted in our land.

“What has AB Xuma done for Ngcobo?” Ndzima asked.

“His name should have been put among others for us to choose, and not pushed down our throats or entered through the back door.” Ndzima said.

However, mayor Siyabulela Zangqa insisted adequate consultation had taken place.

AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo sent a representative to the event.

The 2m statues at Ngcobo ’ s Heroes Park were produced in 2012 at a cost of R600,000 each and were supposed to have been unveiled in 2017, but the families had wanted President Cyril Ramaphosa to unveil them.

New co-operative governance MEC Zolile Williams and Zangqa had tried in vain to convince the traditional leaders to attend the weekend event.

Premier Oscar Mabuyanesaid the celebration was in honour of the two late ANC stalwarts.

“These two leaders played an important role in our history. We also erected the statues to claim our public spaces, because many of our public spaces still resemble our colonial past, with names of people who brought pain and suffering to our people,” he said.

Sisulu’s grandson Duma said his family had waited for eight years for the statues to be unveiled.

“It is a great honour that it finally happened,” he said.

“It is good that not only my family is celebrated but also other heroes, with the park dedicated to over 100 people who laid their lives for freedom.”

Nomnandi Xuma, AB Xuma’s niece, said her family appreciated the gesture.

‘What has AB Xuma done for Ngcobo? His name should have been put among others for us to choose, and not pushed down our throats or entered through the back door’