Special honour for Madiba
2004-04-22 15:21
Brussels - Manneken Pis, Brussels most famous monument, is set to celebrate the tenth anniversary of democracy coming to South Africa, Belgium's Manneken Pis Committee announced on Thursday.
On Tuesday next week, the fountain composed of a normally naked statue of a young boy urinating will be dressed in typical Mandela-style clothing.
According to the Manneken Pis Committee, the spectacle with be the 731st time the monument has been dressed up, but will be the first time that a living politician will be so honoured.
In order better to resemble the 85-year-old African freedom fighter, the statue's stone "hair" will be dyed grey.
The little boy will also wear a silk shirt of the type Mandela is fond of, and black pants - with a slit in the front to allow for the uninterrupted "fountain".
The clothing was arranged by the South African embassy in Brussels.
The first all-race elections in South Africa took place on April 27, 1994 which allowed the country's black African majority to take political power. - Sapa-dpa
- SAPA