02 February 2007
The act of liberation, captured previously only by a photograph, has been made real. A life-sized statue of revolutionary liberation icon Hector Pieterson jointly commissioned by the Thanda Foundation and former MP, Mathews Phosa will be returned to the people of Soweto. The social conscience of the Thanda Group, the Thanda Foundation, aims to create local and international awareness of the gravity of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and to set a precedent for responsible tourism in South Africa, especially rural KwaZulu-Natal. The statue is a gift of goodwill and a manifestation of the commitment of the Thanda Foundation to the youth of South Africa.
The 300kg bronze statue created by Kobus Hattingh and Jacob Maponyane is “a gift of friendship from the people of Sweden and South Africa to the people of Soweto to honour and commemorate the defining moment in South Africa’s history,” said the founder of the Thanda Foundation, Dan Olofsson.
The symbol of liberation will find its home in another “first” of its kind, the Maponya Mall, an extraordinary new shopping mall with an equally impressive price tag of R540-million to be opened in Soweto later this year. The mall, hailed a “Soweto first” by Maverick magazine, is an initiative spear-headed by the “godfather of Soweto”, Richard Maponya. “June 16 1976 was a critical turning point in South Africa’s history and it focused the community’s heart and mind on the plight of the struggle,” said Olofsson. The Maponya Mall will return the focus of heart and mind to the community that raised one of South Africa’s most memorable liberation heroes.
A replica of the statue was given to former president Nelson Mandela by Olofsson and wife Christin on June 13 2006 to commemorate the 30 year anniversary of the Soweto Uprisings. The life-sized statue will be unveiled at a function in Johannesburg on 17 February 2007. Among the high-profile attendees at the event are Dorothy Molefi (Hector Pieterson’s mother) and Sam Nzima, the legendary photographer who captured the infamous image. “Hector Pieterson and his generation will forever remain an inspiration and source of national pride for all South Africans,” said co-sponsor Mathews Phosa. The statue continues to be a symbol of hope and optimism for the Thanda Foundation and its ethos “for the love of nature, wildlife and dear ones”.
Established in 2005 as a conduit through which to raise funds for its community initiatives, the Thanda Foundation is a non-profit organisation created to address the socio-economic hardships plaguing the people of KwaZulu-Natal, most notably those of the youth. The Thanda Foundation’s flag is upheld by the principles of its three key projects: the JAC (Jobs, Aids and Conservation) campaign, the Star School Project and the Bartlow Community Trust Conservation Project. In addition to its formalised community commitments, Thanda is responsible for the creation of over 220 jobs which feed close on 1500 people living in the surrounding areas. The Thanda Foundation is ever supportive of the youth and the importance of “free” education, a concept mirrored in the objective of the Star School Project, an HIV/AIDS educational programme which equips the youth with the principle of “mental vaccination” to strengthen self esteem and help teenagers make the correct choices about their sexual behaviour.
Personal invitations to the unveiling ceremony will be circulated within the next 48 hours. For more information, please contact Victoria Smith on tel: (011)465-0765 or e-mail: reservations@thanda.co.za.
The 300kg bronze statue created by Kobus Hattingh and Jacob Maponyane is “a gift of friendship from the people of Sweden and South Africa to the people of Soweto to honour and commemorate the defining moment in South Africa’s history,” said the founder of the Thanda Foundation, Dan Olofsson.
The symbol of liberation will find its home in another “first” of its kind, the Maponya Mall, an extraordinary new shopping mall with an equally impressive price tag of R540-million to be opened in Soweto later this year. The mall, hailed a “Soweto first” by Maverick magazine, is an initiative spear-headed by the “godfather of Soweto”, Richard Maponya. “June 16 1976 was a critical turning point in South Africa’s history and it focused the community’s heart and mind on the plight of the struggle,” said Olofsson. The Maponya Mall will return the focus of heart and mind to the community that raised one of South Africa’s most memorable liberation heroes.
A replica of the statue was given to former president Nelson Mandela by Olofsson and wife Christin on June 13 2006 to commemorate the 30 year anniversary of the Soweto Uprisings. The life-sized statue will be unveiled at a function in Johannesburg on 17 February 2007. Among the high-profile attendees at the event are Dorothy Molefi (Hector Pieterson’s mother) and Sam Nzima, the legendary photographer who captured the infamous image. “Hector Pieterson and his generation will forever remain an inspiration and source of national pride for all South Africans,” said co-sponsor Mathews Phosa. The statue continues to be a symbol of hope and optimism for the Thanda Foundation and its ethos “for the love of nature, wildlife and dear ones”.
Established in 2005 as a conduit through which to raise funds for its community initiatives, the Thanda Foundation is a non-profit organisation created to address the socio-economic hardships plaguing the people of KwaZulu-Natal, most notably those of the youth. The Thanda Foundation’s flag is upheld by the principles of its three key projects: the JAC (Jobs, Aids and Conservation) campaign, the Star School Project and the Bartlow Community Trust Conservation Project. In addition to its formalised community commitments, Thanda is responsible for the creation of over 220 jobs which feed close on 1500 people living in the surrounding areas. The Thanda Foundation is ever supportive of the youth and the importance of “free” education, a concept mirrored in the objective of the Star School Project, an HIV/AIDS educational programme which equips the youth with the principle of “mental vaccination” to strengthen self esteem and help teenagers make the correct choices about their sexual behaviour.
Personal invitations to the unveiling ceremony will be circulated within the next 48 hours. For more information, please contact Victoria Smith on tel: (011)465-0765 or e-mail: reservations@thanda.co.za.