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Mandela draws the crowds
NELSON Mandela drew thousands to Parliament Square on Wednesday.
The former South African president was there to witness the unveiling of a nine-foot sculpture of himself facing Parliament.
Mr Mandela, who endured 27 years in prison, joins US President Abraham Lincoln and prime ministers Winston Churchill, Lloyd George, Benjamin Disraeli and George Canning, in Parliament Square.
He said: “This statue must symbolise all those that have resisted oppression – but especially in my country. The history of the struggle in South Africa is rich with the story of heroes and villains.”
He added: “When Oliver Tambo and I visited Westminster Abbey in 1952 we had joked that a statue of a black man might be erected here – next to General Smuts.
“We thank the British people in their relentless efforts in supporting us.”
Ian Walters, the sculptor of the Mandela statue, lost his battle with cancer on August 3 2006.
He had made many statues and busts of political figures, including Harold Wilson and Tony Benn. |
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