A new, R3.5-million statue of Shaka Zulu will replace the monument removed from Durban Airport, the Sunday Tribune has reported.
The original statue, by Andries Botha, was removed after the Zulu royal family complained that it made the warrior king resemble a "herd boy".
Peter Hall has been commissioned to sculpt a new statue of the Zulu king.
"A panel of academics and the royal household were quite impressed with his work, but the premier will make a statement in due course," said Ndabe Sibiya, spokesman for KwaZulu-Natal Premier Zweli Mkhize.
Botha was asked to be part of the team designing the new statue but declined.
"I told the premier I did not think my presence would help the process he was trying to engineer, because of the complexity of political perceptions of the artwork, and notions of ownership and nationalisation."
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.