Issued by: Office of the President
STATEMENT ON THE PROPOSED MONUMENT
The Office of the President would like to place in perspective the current reports about an initiative concerning the construction of a freedom monument. This is a private initiative for which the President's approval was sought. The President did give an initial approval for the idea and subsequently instructed officials from his State office to liaise with the proposers of the project to obtain information about the process, concept and plans for execution.
One such exploratory meeting took place where the need for broad consultation and a transparent and inclusive process was stressed.
A meeting will take place in Cape Town on Wednesday, 3 April 1996 involving the President, the Minister of Mineral and Energy Affairs, Mr R F Botha and several interested parties to discuss the matter further. A statement will then be issued.
It needs to be stressed that there is no State involvement in, or State finances for this project. That is in fact one of the aspects being raised by the President's office, namely, that such a national project should articulate with the overall policies and plans of the relevant State Departments as well as with other related museum, archive and monument projects.
It is also important to note that the proposed monument is not one to President Mandela but a monument celebrating the struggle for liberation.
President Mandela is on record as saying that he does not believe people should be honoured in this way during their lifetime. He would therefore, object to any project which sought to honour him in isolation from the legions of freedom fighters who took the country where it is today.
Issued by the Office of the President 31 March 1996