Statue of Nelson Mandela, Cape Town City Hall explained

Statue of Nelson Mandela, Balcony Cape Town City Hall overlooking the Grand Parade
Artist:Xhanti Mpakama and Barry Jackson
Height Metric:195
Coordinates:-33.9254°N 18.4238°W
Year:2018
Medium:Bronze
City:City Hall next to the Grand Parade Cape Town
Italic Title:no

A Statue of Nelson Mandela was unveiled on 24 July 2018.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] It was placed on the balcony of Cape Town City Hall overlooking the Grand Parade, Cape Town, South Africa.[6] Nelson Mandela was the first post-apartheid president of South Africa and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993[7]

Placing

It was placed on exactly the same spot where Nelson Mandela made his first public speech after his release from prison on 11 February 1990.[8] [9] [10]

Date of unveiling

The year was chosen to be part of the celebration of Nelson Mandela's birthday. He would have been 100 years old in 2018 if still alive. He was born on 18 July 1918[11] [12] [13] [14]

Initiative

It was a joint initiative of The City of Cape Town and the Government of the Western Cape. The reason was to attract more tourists to the region. A public participation exercise was run in order to get input of the people of Cape Town[15]

Unveiling

It was done by Patricia de Lille, Alan Winde and Helen Zille[16] [17] The unveiling was attended by guests from all over the world. It was one of Mrs. de Lille's last official duties as mayor of Cape Town. She was under investigation of her political party and her last day was 31 October 2018.[18] Special guests were Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and Professor Njabulo Ndebele‚ chairman of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.[19] [20]

Statute

It is a human size statute. It is 1.95m tall. It's a slightly higher than Mandela's actual size (1.85m). It is done in bronze.[21] [22]

Sculptor

Dali Tambo’s[23] company Koketso Growth[24] obtain the tender and commissioned Xhanti Mpakama and Barry Jackson to make the statue.[25] [26] Mpakama's previous work includes Mandela Bust[27] and Shaka.[28] Jackson's prevouis work includes Louis van Mauritius[29] and Johannes van der Kemp[30]

Legacy Exhibition

Cape Town City decided that after the unveiling, a legacy exhibition centre will be erected in the City Hall. Audio-visual equipment, with interactive displays, together with interpretive panels will be facilitated in the City Hall. It will include people involved in the struggle for freedom, events that happened just prior to his release and the first democratic election. On 10 December 2021, it was completed and opened by Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.[31] [32] [33] [34] [35]

Other Mandela Statues in South Africa

Controversial temporary removal of statue

On 11 January 2019, the day that celebrated the 29th anniversary of Mr Mandela's release, the statue was temporarily removed as a film company was shooting a movie on the parade. Cape Town City Council (under the authority of Mr D Plato, the mayor) gave permission. There was a public outcry about this removal. The statue is back in its place where it was originally commissioned.[41] [42]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: WATCH: Cape Town unveils new City Hall . 24 July 2018. 24 July 2018. Travellor24.
  2. Web site: WATCH: Mandela statue unveiled at site of his first speech after being freed from prison. 24 July 2018. 24 July 2018. IOL.
  3. Web site: Nelson Mandela statue unveiled in Cape Town. 24 July 2018. 24 July 2018. Polity.
  4. Web site: Bronze Mandela erected on balcony at Cape Town's City Hall. 24 July 2018. 24 July 2018. News24. Etheridge, J..
  5. Web site: Unveiling of the Nelson Mandela statue at Cape Town City Hall. SABC News Western Cape. 24 July 2018. 24 July 2018.
  6. Web site: South Africa Nelson Mandela Statue. 24 July 2018. 24 July 2018 . Agentia Nationale De Presa Agerpress Actualizeaza lumea . Bothma, N..
  7. Web site: Nelson Mandela Biography. Encyclopaedia of World Biography. 20 June 2018.
  8. Web site: Nelson Mandela statue unveiled at Cape Town City Hall . 24 July 2018 . 24 July 2018. European Press Photo Agency.
  9. Web site: Mandela delivers his first speech at the Grand Parade. 20 June 2018. South African History On line.
  10. Web site: Madiba statue unveiled at Cape Town City Hall. Newsroom. 91.3FM the Voice of the Cape. 24 July 2018. 25 July 2018.
  11. Web site: Nelson Mandela Biography. Biography.com. 20 June 2018.
  12. Web site: Images of the Day . Fitzsimons, B.. Irish Times. 24 July 2018 . 25 July 2018.
  13. Web site: South African hero Nelson Mandela commemorated with Cape Town sculpture . Spanish Agencia EFE. 24 July 2018.
  14. Web site: Nelson Mandela commemorated with Cape Town sculpture. News4Europe. 24 July 2018. 25 July 2018.
  15. Web site: R3.5m Nelson Mandela statue for Cape Town City Hall. Business Day Newspaper. Chambers, C.. 17 April 2017. 20 June 2018.
  16. Web site: Nelson Mandela statue unveiled in Cape Town. The Citizen Newspaper. 24 July 2018. 24 July 2018. African News Agency.
  17. Web site: Mandela statue unveiled at Cape Town City Hall. Shange, Z.. Eye Witness News. 24 July 2018. 25 July 2018.
  18. Web site: Patricia de Lille: It's my last day as Cape Town Mayor and DA member. 9 April 2019. Sunday times. Nombembe, P. 31 October 2018.
  19. Web site: Mandela's voice of freedom rings out again in Cape Town. Times live newspaper. Farber, T.. 24 July 2018. 25 July 2018.
  20. Web site: Reconciliation, unity and healing . Cape Town Magazine. 24 July 2018. 25 July 2018.
  21. Web site: Cape Town sees a new Nelson Mandela statue unveiled at City Hall . 24 July 2018. 24 July 2018. The South African.
  22. Web site: Madiba once again stands tall over the Mother City . Head, T . The South African. 24 July 2018. 25 July 2018.
  23. Web site: Western Cape Economic Development and Tourism on unveiling of Nelson Mandela statue at Cape Town City Hall. Western Cape Economic Development and Tourism. 24 July 2018. 25 July 2018.
  24. Web site: Heritage & Tourism consultation & planning . Department arts and Culture. 22 January 2014. 20 June 2018.
  25. Web site: Nelson Mandela statue unveiled at Cape Town City Hall. Lusa. 24 July 2018. 24 July 2018.
  26. Web site: Cape Town City Hall to honour Madiba with bronze statue . 19 July 2018. East Coast Radio. 18 July 2018.
  27. Web site: Nelson Mandela Bust at Parliament. Pathfinda. 20 June 2018.
  28. Web site: Shaka kaSenzangakhona. National Heritage monument. 20 June 2018.
  29. Web site: Louis van Mauritius . 19 July 2018. National Heritage Monument.
  30. Web site: The long march to freedom . 8 February 2017 . Camissa People. 19 July 2018.
  31. Web site: Proposed Madiba statue and exhibition at City Hall to commence today . Cape Town Green Map . 18 April 2017. Philip. 20 June 2018.
  32. Web site: A Monumental Tribute to Nelson Mandela Is Unveiled in Cape Town. AD Magazine. Hansen, K.. 24 July 2018. 25 July 2018.
  33. Web site: Nelson Mandela in Cape Town Legacy Exhibition Opening . MapMyway.co.za . 12 December 2021. 13 December 2021.
  34. Web site: Nelson Mandela Exhibition opened in Cape Town l. SABC News . 12 December 2021. 13 December 2021.
  35. Web site: Nelson Mandela Legacy New exhibition honours Madiba . eNCA. 12 December 2021. 13 December 2021.
  36. Web site: Nelson Mandela Square. Gauteng. 20 June 2018.
  37. Web site: 18 Facts about the 9metre Mandela Statue. 11 July 2017. Brand South Africa. 20 June 2018.
  38. Web site: Life-size Madiba statue unveiled at NMB Stadium. Algoa FM. 18 July 2017. 20 June 2018.
  39. Web site: More on Franschhoek's luxury hotel scene . Girlahead. 9 April 2016. 20 June 2018.
  40. Web site: Drakenstein Correctional Centre. De Leeuwenhof. 20 June 2018.
  41. Web site: Pics: Outrage as Madiba statue removed from Cape Town's City Hall for movie shoot. 11 April 2019. IOL news. Kiva, M. 12 February 2019.
  42. Web site: Cape Town mayor disappointed that Mandela statue was not returned in time. 10 April 2019. News24. Seleka, N. 13 February 2019.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Statue of Nelson Mandela, Cape Town City Hall".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.