This enormous statue is in Pretoria, in front of the Union Buildings (the seat of government in South Africa). It is hard to believe how big it is until you stand next to one of the shoes!
South Africa is unusual in that it has three capital cities – the legislative capital (Parliament) is in Cape Town, the executive capital (Government) is in Pretoria, and the judicial capital (the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal) is in Bloemfontein. When the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, there was a great deal of dispute over which city would be the new nation’s capital. This is when the parties involved deduced a comprise that suggested a spread of power across the country.
