Ten years after the death of Nelson Mandela, the fabled destroyer of apartheid remains a global icon, but in South Africa, some say it is time to end Mandela-mania.
A 9m-tall statue of Mandela, his arms outstretched, watches over Pretoria from the Union Buildings government headquarters.
There are at least 50 other major statues, busts and murals devoted to him in South Africa and around the world, from London to the occupied West Bank, according to the Mandela Foundation.
Mandela, who died on Dec 5, 2013, is featured on national banknotes and his Long Walk To Freedom autobiography remains one of the best-selling books worldwide of all time.
Robben Island, Mandela's jail for 27 years, is among South Africa's top tourist attractions.
The standing of the political giant, widely known by his clan name of Madiba, is so great that many people watching the sorry state of South Africa's economy and politics ask: "What would Madiba think if he were still here?"
Would events in the country have been any different? Spurring South Africans to move on, the foundation on Dec 1 opened an anniversary exhibition called simply and soberly Mandela Is Dead.
Denne historien er fra December 02, 2023-utgaven av The Straits Times.
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Denne historien er fra December 02, 2023-utgaven av The Straits Times.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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