 Remains of the plane wreck | |
 | |
| Location | Mbuzini, South Africa |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 25°54′58″S31°57′19″E / 25.9161°S 31.9552°E |
| Designer | José Forjaz |
| Completion date | January 1999 |
| Dedicated to | Samora Machel |
The Samora Machel Monument in Mbuzini, near Komatipoort in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa, marks the spot where the plane carrying the then-President of Mozambique crashed in 1986. It resulted in the death of President Machel and several Mozambican ministers. It was declared a National Heritage Site in 2006. [1]
The monument was inaugurated by Joaquim Chissano and Nelson Mandela on 19 January 1999. It was constructed at a cost of $240,000 and incorporates some of the wreckage of the plane. Its central feature is 35 tubes of steel, symbolising the number of lives lost in the air crash, that create a wailing sound in the wind. [2]
A planned R11.2 million upgrade was to add access roads, an amphitheater, a helipad and buildings. [3] In 2006 a nearby library with a collection of books in English and Portuguese was opened. A statue of Machel, donated by Norwegian anti-apartheid artists, was also erected at the site. [4]
