Cop car damages Mandela bust

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The bust of former president Nelson Mandela was slightly damaged on Wednesday when a police car reversed into it, Parliament said.

"The area around the bust is a security zone where no ordinary cars are allowed to park," it said in a statement.

"The secretary to Parliament, Mr Michael Coetzee, is following up on this morning's incident, which resulted in the right shoulder of the bust being slightly dented and scratched."

The bust was removed for repairs and was expected to be back in place on Thursday. President Jacob Zuma unveiled it on Monday.

The bust, in bronze on a granite plinth, depicts Mandela smiling slightly and looking out over Stalplein to the Parliament gates leading to Plein Street, opposite the steps of the National Assembly building.

It is large enough to be seen from Plein Street, 2.28 metres high when placed on its plinth, but does not dominate the space.


Source : Sapa /gq/jje/th
Date : 30 Apr 2014 13:36
 
COP VAN BUSTS MANDELA BUST

A police vehicle has reversed into and damaged a bust of former president Nelson Mandela, two days after it was unveiled by President Jacob Zuma in front of the National Assembly in Cape Town.

The incident, which is being described by Parliament as a "freak accident", happened just before 7am on Wednesday.

In a statement, it said the right shoulder of the bust had been "slightly dented and scratched".

By midday on Wednesday, the bust had been removed from its metre-high granite plinth -- to which it was secured with four bolts -- and sent away for repair.

The area had been ringed off with temporary white bollards and red rope.

"We expect the bust will be back in place tomorrow [Thursday]," parliamentary spokesman Luzuko Jacobs told Sapa.

Last week, one of the contractors involved in the construction of the plinth was asked by Sapa whether his firm intended putting permanent concrete or steel protective bollards around it.

The plinth is located in Stalplein, close to the steps leading into the National Assembly.

"We haven't been instructed to do so," the contractor said at the time.

In its statement, Parliament said the area around the bust was a security zone, "where no ordinary cars are allowed to park".

It said steps would now be taken "to minimise future risk of damage to the bust".

The bronze bust, of the head and shoulders of a slightly-smiling Mandela, is 2.28 metres high, including the height of the plinth. The shoulders stick out beyond the base.

At its unveiling on Monday, Zuma said it showed how far South Africa's democracy had come in a short space of time.

"By unveiling the statue, Parliament has declared we will continue to walk in Madiba's footsteps... and honour his legacy," he said at the time.

It is understood that the vehicle involved in the incident was a police minibus.


Source : Sapa /rod/jk/jje
Date : 30 Apr 2014 13:44
 
2 bar wtf... Just more taxpayers money being spent on ANC campaigning.
 
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