Sent to The Times, Johannesburg, Wed
18/12/2013 08:50, and published Thu 19 December 2013, minus the parts in blue.
Sir
On Reconciliation Day, a 9m (3-storey!) high statue of Nelson
Mandela was unveiled at the Union Buildings.
Nelson Mandela was a great man, and deserves to be honoured.
Is this the best way to do it?
Mandela took care not to place himself above others. Would
he have wanted a five-times-life-size statue of himself?
According
to newspaper reports, the statue cost R8 Million. One assumes that Government, hence the taxpayer, paid for it.
Could
this money not be used better for a living memorial to Madiba? One that
would embody and grow his ideals the way that dead
steel and bronze cannot? A school, an award, or a bursary fund,
perhaps?
Are
we trying to emulate totalitarian states where ever-more-grandiose monuments
tower over a starving population? The statue of Saddam Hussein springs to
mind.
This
statue, in its sheer size and expense, is a
contradiction of the egalitarian ideals Mandela stood for: The sign of a party
and a government that have lost their values and direction.
It
shows a cynical commitment to outer appearance, to
excess, while their policies –like the statue itself– are lifeless and
hollow.
Thanks and
RICKgards
Rick Raubenheimer
126 Kelvin Drive, Morningside, Sandton, Johannesburg, 2191.
Tel: 011 802-2685. Cell: 082 389-3482. E-mail: rick@softwareafrica.co.za
Rick Raubenheimer
126 Kelvin Drive, Morningside, Sandton, Johannesburg, 2191.
Tel: 011 802-2685. Cell: 082 389-3482. E-mail: rick@softwareafrica.co.za
·
23 Dec 2013, The Star Early Edition
Grandiose statue
contradicts humble values of Madiba
ON
RECONCILIATION Day, a 9m (three-storey) high statue of Nelson Mandela was
unveiled at the Union Buildings. Mandela was a great man, and deserves to be
honoured. Is this the best way to do it?
Mandela took
care not to place himself above others.
Would he have
wanted a five-times life-size statue of himself ?
According to
newspaper reports, the statue cost R8 million. One assumes that the government,
hence the taxpayer, paid for it.
Could this
money not have been used better for a living memorial to Madiba? One that would
embody and grow his ideals the way that dead steel and bronze cannot? A school,
an award, or a bursary fund, perhaps?
Are we trying
to emulate totalitarian states where evermore-grandiose monuments tower over a
starving population? The statue of Saddam Hussein springs to mind.
This
monument, in its sheer size and expense, is a contradiction of the egalitarian
ideals Mandela stood for; the sign of a party and a government that have lost
their values and direction.
It shows a
cynical commitment to showiness, to outer appearance, while their policies –
like the statue itself – are lifeless and hollow.
Morningside,
Sandton
Strangely, the letter found its way into the Pretoria News, 23 Dec 2013 (after major editing):
·
23 Dec 2013, Pretoria News
Tata statue embodies ANC’s
bling culture
A 9M
(three-storey!) statue of Nelson Mandela was recently unveiled at the Union
Buildings. Madiba deserves to be honoured, but in this way? He did not place
himself above others. Would he have wanted a five-times-life-size statue?
At a cost of
R8 million, could the money not have been used better for a living memorial to
Madiba – a school, an award, or a bursary fund, perhaps?
Are we trying
to copy totalitarian states where ever-more-grandiose monuments tower over a
starving population? This statue, in size and cost, contradicts Tata’s
egalitarian ideals; shows a party and government that have lost their values
but are committed to showiness, outer appearance, while their policies – like
the statue – are lifeless and hollow.
Rick Raubenheimer, Sandton
