Cape Town – KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi has called for a statue to be erected in honour of the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, saying his contribution to South Africa’s political history deserves formal recognition.
The MEC made the remarks during the 2026 KwaZulu-Natal Municipal Excellence Awards held at the Durban International Convention Centre. He argued that South Africa’s historical narrative should include the legacy of the Inkatha Freedom Party founder alongside other liberation leaders.
“Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi was the bridge between the ANC Mission in Exile of Mr Oliver Tambo and the new democratic dispensation of President Nelson Mandela,” he said.
The MEC emphasised that the late traditional and political leader played an important role during a period when many leaders of the liberation struggle were either imprisoned or forced into exile.
“When the apartheid regime had silenced both Tambo and Mandela, Buthelezi was the voice of the oppressed,” he said.
The call for a statue comes after statues of former presidents Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo were recently unveiled at the Moses Mabhida Stadium precinct in Durban. The MEC said it would be appropriate for Buthelezi to also be commemorated in a similar manner.
The proposal forms part of broader efforts to recognise the late leader’s role in shaping the country’s political landscape and his influence within KwaZulu-Natal.
Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, founder of the Inkatha Freedom Party and traditional prime minister to the Zulu nation, died in September 2023 at the age of 95.
Officials believe that commemorating him with a statue would ensure that his legacy and role in South Africa’s history continue to be acknowledged in public spaces.
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Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
