THE ‘Lady in White’ statue is being temporarily relocated from the harbour to the Port Natal Maritime Museum.
According to Tozi Mthethwa, head of communications for eThekwini Municipality, the statue is being relocated to allow Portnet to complete its construction project and extension of the harbor. It will be returned once the construction is complete.
She said there are no financial costs to Council for the design, construction, installation as well as movement of the statue. All costs will be incurred and covered by private agencies associated with the Portuguese community in Durban as well as the Local History Museum Trust.
The statue is named after Perla Siedle Gibson, who was a Durban born soprano artist. Gibson became famous as the Lady in White because she used to serenade thousands of Allied troops as their ships passed in and out of Durban harbour.
In 1972, a year after she died, a bronze plaque donated by men of the Royal Navy was erected in her memory on Durban's North Pie on the spot where she used to sing. In 1995 Queen Elizabeth II unveiled a statue of Gibson near the Ocean Terminal in Durban harbour.
The City’s Head of Parks, Recreation and Culture Thembinkosi Ngcobo, said the statue would be fitting at the Museum next to Britannia Room because it is still in the harbour precinct, not far from where she used to sing. “The statue’s temporary relocation will ensure unlimited access to it by Museum patrons,” he said.
