/ 31 May 2001

PE wants giant Mandela statue

Local business leaders want to build a gigantic statue of Nelson Mandela – bigger even than the Statue of Liberty – at the entrance to the harbour at Port Elizabeth, a windswept city on South Africa’s east coast. The business people believe such a statue would bring tourists streaming into the economically depressed region. ”We believe it will lead to the development of an international freedom museum, a freedom conference centre and freedom tours,” said Mandla Madwara, the representative for the project. But the statue still needs the approval of Mandela, South Africa’s first black president, and of the city council, Business Day newspaper reported Wednesday. – AFP