A STATUE of King Shaka at the new airport north of Durban has been removed after it caused a stir with the Zulu royal family, who believe it makes the monarch look like a herd boy rather than a warrior.

The controversy is a case of déjà vu for sculptor Andries Botha, whose last workmanship for the KwaZulu- Natal government — a trio of elephants — was shelved last year before it was put up as it was claimed to refer to the opposition Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) logo in an African National Congress run city.

The R3m statue at King Shaka International Airport has Shaka surrounded by Nguni cattle, and without the spear and shield he is traditionally depicted as carrying.

King Goodwill Zwelithini and the provincial government reportedly believe King Shaka looks more like a herd boy than the fierce hunter- warrior of Zulu folklore .

They want the statue remodelled and the location changed.

The removal and redesign of the statue had already incurred wasteful expenditure to the province, IFP KwaZulu-Natal public accounts spokesman Lionel Mtshali said.

“The King Shaka statue, which has been criticised by the Zulu royal family, was commissioned without consultation with the royal household ,” Mr Mtshali said.

The IFP was reacting to KwaZulu-Natal Premier Zweli Mkhize’s statement yesterday that the controversial statue would soon be removed from its current location and redesigned.

“We are also consulting further with the royal household, historians, academics and leaders of our society to ensure the final sculpture reflects different features of our history.

“A team has been appointed to receive inputs and finalise the sculpture. This team, which includes academics, will work with the sculptor in order to improve on the existing work and also add on features of historical significance,” Mr Mkhize said.

The statue was situated between the arrivals terminal and the pick-up zone near the entrance to the airport. The statue’s new location still has to be decided. The team has a month to finish its work.

The KwaZulu-Natal premier’s spokesman, Ndabezinhle Sibiya, said: “The government put the statue up knowing it was not completed. We asked the king (for) his opinion before the finalisation of the statue. This is an ongoing thing.”

Originally published by Business Day