Durban to Unveil Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo Statues as New Heritage Tourism Attractions

Mayor Cyril Xaba announced that the soon-to-be-unveiled statues honouring pivotal figures in South Africa's history will be major tourist attractions during a press briefing at Durban City Hall on Sunday.

The nine-metre-tall statues, depicting revered leaders Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo, are set to be unveiled on March 6 by President Cyril Ramaphosa and are expected to expand the city’s collection of heritage tourism attractions.

The city recently enjoyed an upswing in its tourism fortunes, attracting over 1.2 million visitors during the festive season, which contributed nearly R9 billion to the local GDP.

Xaba expressed confidence that the expanded tourism offerings would continue to draw visitors to Durban and bolster the local economy.

“With our investments in tourism infrastructure, I have no doubt that visitors will stay longer and contribute even more to our local economy,” he stated.

Among the significant investments was the announcement of Devin Funworld, a family entertainment park with a R1 billion investment, aimed at improving Durban’s status as a family-friendly destination.

The municipality believes that the new attractions and the struggle icons statues are expected to generate excitement among tourists, even before their official unveiling.

The historical importance of the statues is immense, as they serve as a reminder of Nelson Mandela’s landmark address at King’s Park Stadium on February 25, 1990, shortly after his release from prison. On the occasion, Mandela delivered a historic call for peace, unity, and reconciliation, urging the nation to cast aside weapons and strive for harmony, before a crowd of over 100,000 South Africans.

It was regarded as a pivotal moment in the country’s history, laying the groundwork for the rainbow nation that South Africa strives to be today.

Xaba said the statues are of broader societal significance, and the impact of Mandela and Tambo’s legacies goes beyond mere financial measures.

In response to concerns raised in some quarters that the funding of the statues diverted resources from service delivery, Xaba clarified that the project had been budgeted from previous allocations.

“The work of these struggle icons in building a democratic, non-racial, and peaceful society cannot be quantified in monetary terms,” he said.

Xaba also highlighted that the city’s economy has shown promising development, citing a substantial increase in business confidence as reflected in the recent Business Confidence Index (BCI) published by the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The report revealed that business confidence rose from 52.12 points in the third quarter of 2025 to 63.38 points in the fourth quarter.

The mayor said the surge in confidence was indicative of stable primary conditions within the city, reflecting the proactive stability nurtured by the municipality.

“We attribute this success to the stability characterising our governance, which has paved the way for greater accountability and improved overall performance,” said a municipal representative.

Durban also earned international recognition, recently ranking 14th among the world’s top tourist destinations in Time Out Worldwide’s Best Places to Travel in 2026, underscoring its growing status as a premier destination for tourism, leisure, and entertainment.

Another positive development was Durban’s recognition as a global leader in climate action, being named on the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) Cities’ A-List. The CDP commends cities for their dedication to reporting climate initiatives, reflecting Durban’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

It was also announced that over R227 billion is currently being channeled into catalytic projects across Durban, expected to create more than 300,000 sustainable jobs.

To make this a reality, city officials are collaborating across multiple levels of government through the District Development Model and the Presidential eThekwini Working Group, to effectively remove existing bottlenecks.

City Manager Musa Mbhele has also launched a targeted drive to unlock investment opportunities by hosting investor meetings, enabling dialogue between investors and city officials and facilitating the removal of obstacles.

The Mbhele-driven initiative was part of a broader strategy designed to deepen collaboration with investors and developers while positioning Durban as a leading destination for both investment and tourism.

DAILY NEWS