Private statue honours Nelson Mandela for 2010 World Cup

A Congolese refugee in Cape Town has built a statue to honour Nelson Mandela as being the main reason for international soccer body, FIFA, to bring the 2010 Soccer World Cup to South Africa.

The statue, shown as South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)’s TV3, is a larger-than-life rendition of Mandela in soccer kit, with a foot raised ready to kick the ball. The statue was made by Congolese refugee Adam Mampuya Mulenge, a welder, and is made of steel to honour the former South African president. It took Mulenge and his dozen or so South African employees several months to complete the statue, which is now housed outside Mulenge’s shop. Mulenge expressed the opinion that Mandela should be seen as the main reason the upcoming spectacular could come to an African country, because his high profile in the world made it possible to host such a major event in Africa. Referring to South Africa’s ever-present high crime, Mulenge said he was not worried about the statue being stolen, as it is displayed near a local police station. Whether the statue will be moved to a more appropriate location is not known.