DURBAN wax artist Lungelo Gumede has uncovered Riky Rick’s statue due to high demand.
Lungelo made the statue of the late music star to honour him. But after posting his photos on social media, Riky’s family members were not happy.
They instructed him to remove them, saying the statue was made too soon. Lungelo removed them and covered the statue with a brown paper. He also stopped allowing fans to view it.
But after music fans continued flocking to the Bat Centre in Durban, where the statue was displayed, Lungelo decided to uncover it. He said even celebrities were coming, and it was heartbreaking to deny them the opportunity.
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“It is not that I don’t respect Riky Rick’s family. But they must understand that he was a public figure and somehow, they have no control over him. He was a people’s person. I loved him and millions of people loved him. That’s the sad truth they must accept,” said Lungelo.
DJ Tira posted a video of the statue on social media, that looked like it was taken from the Bat Centre.
Lungelo said those who had not viewed the statue were more than welcome to do so – for free.
Riky Rick’s brother, Themba, refused to comment.
