| Statue of Nelson Mandela | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Kobus Hattingh and Jacob Maponyane |
| Year | 31 March 2004 |
| Medium | Bronze |
| Subject | Nelson Mandela |
| Dimensions | 6 m× 2.3 m(240 in× 91 in) |
| 26°06′26″S28°03′17″E / 26.10732°S 28.05460°E | |
The statue of Nelson Mandela is a large bronze sculpture of the former President of South Africa and anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela, located in Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton, Gauteng.
Prior to the statue's unveiling, the square had been named Sandton Square after the surrounding area of Sandton. The square was officially renamed Nelson Mandela Square on 31 March 2004. [1] Sandton City, the largest retail complex in Africa, lies behind the statue. [2] The location of the statue has been criticized due to Sandton Square's perception as a "symbol of commercial and social elitism". [3]
The statue was commissioned in July 2002 and completed in February 2004. [3] It was unveiled in the square on 31 March 2004. [4] It was sculpted by Kobus Hattingh and Jacob Maponyane. [3]
The statue was erected in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of South Africa's first democratic elections. [3] [4] It was the first-ever public statue of Mandela and was unveiled by his eldest granddaughter, Ndileka Mandela, who said of the statue that "While we honour Nelson Mandela in this statue, we are also honouring South Africa. He's not just a grandfather to us, but to the whole nation". [3] A box for donations for the Nelson Mandela Foundation was placed beside the statue. [3]
The statue stands 6 metres (20 ft) high and measures 2.3 metres (7 ft 7 in) from elbow to elbow. [3] The statue weighs 2.5 tons. [3] It has been described as "towering", "imposing", and a "focal point" for the entire area. [4] [5] [ self-published source ]
The statue depicts Mandela wearing his Madiba shirt and dancing in what was referred to at the unveiling as the "Madiba jive". [3] [6] Basetsana Kumalo, the master of ceremonies at the statue's unveiling, said that it was "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". [3]
Sandton is a financial, commercial and residential area, located in the northern part of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality. Formerly an independent municipality, Sandton's name came from the combination of two of its suburbs, Sandown and Bryanston.
The Union Buildings form the official seat of the South African Government and also house the offices of the President of South Africa. The imposing buildings are located in Pretoria, atop Meintjeskop at the northern end of Arcadia, close to historic Church Square. The large gardens of the Buildings are nestled between Government Avenue, Vermeulen Street East, Church Street, the R104 and Blackwood Street. Fairview Avenue is a closed road through which only officials can enter the Union Buildings. Though not in the centre of Pretoria, the Union Buildings occupy the highest point of Pretoria, and constitute a South African national heritage site.
Sandton City is a large shopping centre situated in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa. It was built and owned by property development company Rapp and Maister, in partnership with brothers Hilliard and Eli Leibowitz, and was later taken over by Liberty Life.
Nelson Mandela Square is a shopping centre in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa, that includes a large open area built to resemble a traditional European town square, and an office complex. The centre was formerly known as Sandton Square and was named for the former president of South Africa and anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela in March 2004. A six metre high statue of Mandela was unveiled at the ceremony to rename the square. It is attached to the large Sandton City shopping centre, together forming one of the largest retail complexes on the continent with over 400 stores. The Michelangelo Towers complex adjoins Nelson Mandela Square.
The Wanderers Stadium is a stadium situated just south of Sandton in Illovo, Johannesburg in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Test, One Day and First class cricket matches are played here. It is also the home ground for the Highveld Lions, formerly known as Gauteng (Transvaal) and as of 2023, the Joburg Super Kings.
Drakenstein Correctional Centre is a low-security prison between Paarl and Franschhoek, on the R301 road 5 km from the R45 Huguenot Road, in the valley of the Dwars River in the Western Cape of South Africa. The prison is the location where Nelson Mandela spent the last part of his imprisonment for campaigning against apartheid.
A Madiba shirt is a loose-fitting silk shirt, usually adorned in a bright and colourful print. It became known in the 1990s, when Nelson Mandela—then elected President of South Africa—added the item to his regular attire. Mandela popularised this type of shirt, elevating the seemingly casual garment to formal situations.
Joburg Art Fair is a contemporary art fair held annually in Johannesburg, South Africa. The first show took place from 13 to 16 March 2008. The second Joburg Art Fair is scheduled for 3 April to 5 April 2009.
Sandton is a metro station on the Gautrain rapid transit system in Sandton, Johannesburg. It opened to traffic on 8 June 2010 with service to OR Tambo International Airport.
Nelson Mandela is a bronze sculpture in Parliament Square, London, of former President of South Africa and anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela. Originally proposed to Mandela by Donald Woods in 2001, a fund was set up and led by Woods's wife and Lord Richard Attenborough after the death of Woods. The then Mayor of London Ken Livingstone obtained permission from Westminster City Council to locate the statue on the north terrace of Trafalgar Square, but after an appeal it was located in Parliament Square instead where it was unveiled on 29 August 2007.
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Johannesburg, in the Gauteng province in South Africa.
On 5 December 2013, Nelson Mandela, the first President of South Africa to be elected in a fully representative democratic election, as well as the country's first black head of state, died at the age of 95 after a prolonged respiratory infection. He died at around 20:50 local time (UTC+2) at his home in Houghton, Johannesburg, surrounded by family. His death was announced by then President Jacob Zuma on national television at 23:45. Reactions from governments, international organizations, and notable individuals, gained worldwide media coverage.
M. K. Gandhi is a bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Gandhi Square, Johannesburg, which depicts the Indian independence campaigner and nonviolent pacifist as a young man.
Joburg Theatre Complex, previously known as the Johannesburg Civic Theatre, is a group of four theatres situated in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, South Africa. It was built in 1962, refurnished in the late 1980s and reopened in the early 1990s before it was re-branded in 2009. It's a venue to stage both Broadway musicals and home grown productions. It is one of the few theatres open in Johannesburg for independent productions.
The Art for Amnesty-Sís-Atelier Pinton Tapestries are an ongoing collection of giant memorial tapestries designed by artist Peter Sís and created by French tapestry manufacturer Ateliers Pinton for Art for Amnesty, Amnesty International's global artist engagement program.
The Nelson Mandela statue on the Union Buildings grounds, Pretoria, Gauteng, of former President of South Africa and anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela, stands 9 metres tall. The statue was unveiled on the Day of Reconciliation 2013, bringing the official mourning period of ten days to a close, after Mandela died on 5 December.
A Statue of Nelson Mandela was unveiled on 24 July 2018. It was placed on the balcony of Cape Town City Hall overlooking the Grand Parade, Cape Town, South Africa. Nelson Mandela was the first post-apartheid president of South Africa and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993
Carolyn Steyn is a South African media personality and founder of the non-profit organization, 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day. In 2022, Carolyn Steyn received French Ordre national du Mérite.
67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day is an international non-profit organisation founded in South Africa to commemorate the first democratically elected President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela.
