A SPECIAL gift meant for President Jacob Zuma is gathering dust in the Capricorn district municipality offices in Polokwane, Limpopo.
The decorative throne was created by artist Calvin Lekgoara, who had previously made a similar throne for former president Nelson Mandela.
According to Lekgoara, the throne was supposed to have been handed over to Zuma on January 8 to coincide with the ANC's centenary celebrations.
The municipality had agreed to organise a handover. Since then Lekgoara has been urging municipal officials to organise the event - to no avail.
Municipality spokesman Moffat Senyatsi this wek denied any knowledge of the throne or when it was supposed to have been handed over.
Senyatsi suggested that Lekgoara come to the municipality's office to discuss the matter but Lekgoara insisted the throne was there and was to be handed over by the municipality.
Lekgoara, of Ga-Rapitsi in the Moletjie area, expressed his disappointment, saying the delay was making his hard work a futile exercise.
The throne Lekgoara had made for Mandela was accepted on the former president's behalf by his wife, Graça Machel.
It currently has a place at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg among the iconic stateman's many other gifts.
The thrones are both made of cattle horns, wood and steel and covered with cow skin and sisal ropes.
On Mandela's, a special message is engraved: "You are an incorruptible seed of freedom".
"It is a dream come true," Lekgoara had said when Mandela's throne was handed over.
"I am honoured and humbled that the foundation has accepted the gift and pray that the old man gets it.
"We owe our freedom and democracy to people like Mandela. People like me see the need to return the favour by giving him special gifts."
Lekgoara won the arts and culture award at the Aganang local municipality's annual Achievers Awards in 2010. Aganang forms part of the Capricorn district municipality.
Throne gathers dust in Limpopo
A SPECIAL gift meant for President Jacob Zuma is gathering dust in the Capricorn district municipality offices in Polokwane, Limpopo.
The decorative throne was created by artist Calvin Lekgoara, who had previously made a similar throne for former president Nelson Mandela.
According to Lekgoara, the throne was supposed to have been handed over to Zuma on January 8 to coincide with the ANC's centenary celebrations.
The municipality had agreed to organise a handover. Since then Lekgoara has been urging municipal officials to organise the event - to no avail.
Municipality spokesman Moffat Senyatsi this wek denied any knowledge of the throne or when it was supposed to have been handed over.
Senyatsi suggested that Lekgoara come to the municipality's office to discuss the matter but Lekgoara insisted the throne was there and was to be handed over by the municipality.
Lekgoara, of Ga-Rapitsi in the Moletjie area, expressed his disappointment, saying the delay was making his hard work a futile exercise.
The throne Lekgoara had made for Mandela was accepted on the former president's behalf by his wife, Graça Machel.
It currently has a place at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg among the iconic stateman's many other gifts.
The thrones are both made of cattle horns, wood and steel and covered with cow skin and sisal ropes.
On Mandela's, a special message is engraved: "You are an incorruptible seed of freedom".
"It is a dream come true," Lekgoara had said when Mandela's throne was handed over.
"I am honoured and humbled that the foundation has accepted the gift and pray that the old man gets it.
"We owe our freedom and democracy to people like Mandela. People like me see the need to return the favour by giving him special gifts."
Lekgoara won the arts and culture award at the Aganang local municipality's annual Achievers Awards in 2010. Aganang forms part of the Capricorn district municipality.
This article was first published in the printed newspaper and eEdition on 9 October 2012. Click on this link to view the eEdition
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