“The statue will forever remind us of Madiba’s towering vision
and stature. It will remind us of his commitment, his leadership
and his dedication to the struggle against apartheid. It will
forever remind us of his commitment to an improved quality of
life for all. It will also remind us of how far we have come as
a nation in just a few years. The glaring reality is that before
1994, there would have been no statue of Madiba at the Union
Buildings.”
The site of the statue had previously housed the statue of former
Prime Minister James Barry Hertzog, who led a white nationalist
government from 1924-1939, noted Zuma.
“Following an exhaustive consultation process, and in the spirit
of reconciliation that our country has become renowned for, the
representatives of former Prime Minister Hertzog agreed that his
sta