April 1, 2004
By Chandrea Gerber
ANY toast to Nelson Mandela would have to be larger than life - and those who gathered to see his eldest granddaughter, Ndileka, uncover the statue on 31 March agreed that the giant effigy exuded his positive vibe.
With champagne glass raised high, MC at the launch of the new Nelson Mandela Square, Basetsane Kumalo, echoed the sentiments of over 500 guests: "This is a very happy statue. The dancing stance pays tribute to the spirit of joy and celebration inherent in the people of South Africa - this is the Madiba jive."
Paying tribute to her grandfather who spent much of his life on Robben Island in the name of a united South Africa, Ndileka Mandela announced: "While we honour Nelson Mandela in this statue, we are also honouring South Africa."
Installation of the 6 metre statue
Also known for his gentle humility, Madiba himself did not attend the ceremony. "He's taking a break," explained Ndileka Mandela. "He's not just a grandfather to us, but to the whole nation."
Given his reputation as a champion of the disadvantaged, it was hardly surprising that many were confused as to why Sandton Square, seen by many as a symbol of commercial and social elitism, was being renamed in his honour. "Why here? Why not in Alexandra?" some were heard to murmur.
Gary Vipond, Nelson Mandela Square manager, explained: "The square is optimistic, expressive and confident, like the Madiba jive, and represents a sophisticated, eclectic, cosmopolitan success story."
After extensive research, the former Sandton Square was found to be the most appropriate place home for the world's first public statue of Mandela. "The donors, who wish to remain anonymous, selected Sandton Square as their preferred site due to its geographical location in the centre of the Sandton CBD, and the fact that it is one of the largest public open spaces in South Africa, and it's secure," said Vipond.
"This centre epitomises where all people can shop, and it doesn't matter which background you come from," added Ndileka Mandela.
"What better place to commemorate and celebrate our contemporary cosmopolitan culture than in a square that demonstrates how far South Africa has come in the world, and how easily the world has embraced and come to South Africa," says Vipond. "And what better way to commemorate this success than a statue as grand as the man himself."
The Nelson Mandela Foundation hopes to benefit directly from its tourist appeal and a donation box has been placed beside the statue. Liberty Properties, the landlords, set the tone with the first donation of R50 000.
Quick facts:
The statue of Nelson Mandela is six metres tall, higher than the world's tallest recorded giraffe of 5.9m. It weighs 2.5 tons, the weight of an African white rhino. It measures 2.3m from elbow to elbow, the maximum wing span of the African fish eagle, and has a shoulder width of 1.7m, almost the width of a luxury sedan. The statue's shoes measure virtually one metre in length - a boot size very few can fill.
The statue was sculpted by Kobus Hattingh and Jacob Maponyane, a team with many accolades under their belt. The bronze statue was commissioned in July 2002, completed in February 2004, and moved to the former Sandton Square during the middle of the night to be installed, ahead of the unveiling.
It is not the first time a shopping centre has been named after a well-loved president:
Washington Square shopping centre in Oregon, US, after George Washington
Roosevelt Square shopping centre in Seattle, US, after Franklin D Roosevelt
The Regal Eisenhower shopping centre in Savannah, Georgia, USA, after Dwight Eisenhower
The Churchill shopping centre in Brighton, UK, after Prime Minister Winston Churchill
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