“Looks Like Mugabe”: South Africans Blast R22m Mandela and Tambo Statues After Unveiling in Durban

• South Africans flooded social media with anger after R22 million was spent on two bronze statues in a city where taps still run dry
• The statues sat wrapped in plastic for months before the unveiling, and drew mockery from residents who nicknamed them mummies on social media
• Many residents said the most meaningful tribute to Mandela and Tambo would have been fixing the city they left behind, not casting them in bronze

President Cyril Ramaphosa unveiled two massive statues of Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo in Durban on 3 March 2026.

Cheers from the ceremony were drowned out by the noise on social media. The statues, each standing 9 metres tall, cost R11 million apiece. They were erected at Moses Mabhida Stadium and along the North Beach promenade.

Facebook user Farzana Ebrahim posted a video after the unveiling. What followed in the comments section was a flood of frustration from South Africans who had been clearly holding it in for months.

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“Mummies” before they became monuments

The anger began the moment the statues were erected and remained untouched for months. Mzansi watched as sewage spilt into the oceans and taps ran dry. All of this, while two covered figures loomed over Durban’s beachfront. By the time the plastic came off, people were not in the mood to celebrate.

During the festive season, holidaymakers shared images of the covered statues on social media. Many mocked their appearance and called them “mummies.”

Honouring icons while residents suffer

There is no argument that Mandela and Tambo deserve to be remembered. That part, most South Africans can agree on. What they do not agree on is the price tag of the statues. eThekwini residents have called them an absolute waste of money. They believe the money used for the commissioning and erecting of the statues could have been put to better use. This includes repairing water infrastructure or resurfacing deteriorating roads.

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See the Facebook clip below:

Mzansi roasts the statues

Briefly News compiled a series of comments from South Africans who were clearly not impressed by the statues.

Senzo Sithole commented:

"Statue of Robert Mugabe in Durban. It doesn’t belong here."

Riaan Joubert said:

"R11 million for a statue in a city with no water. What a good idea."

Louise Panton wrote:

"So what is Oliver Tambo's connection to Durban beachfront. He was born in the Eastern Cape."

Benji Banana highlighted:

"Looks like a cross between Mandela and Robert Mugabe."

Kenny Daniel-Smith commented:

"It looks like Mugabe not Mandela."

Paul van den Berg said:

"With the unveiling of a R22 million statue on the Durban Golden Mile, many of us feel this money could have been better spent on much-needed service delivery in communities. We need working infrastructure, job creation, cleaner streets, safer neighbourhoods and reliable basic services."

More articles involving statues

• Briefly News previously reported that the two plastic-wrapped statues of Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo sparked public backlash, with Durban residents accusing the city of prioritising vanity projects over basic service delivery.
• President Cyril Ramaphosa officially unveiled statues of Oliver Reginald Tambo and Nelson Mandela in eThekwini.
• The mystery artist behind the stunning driftwood statues along Ramsgate's coastline has been found and revealed his identity.

Source: Briefly News