Durban - CONCERNS were recently raised about the sudden disappearance of one of the cast-iron figurines from the HW Currie Memorial Fountain in Durban Botanical Gardens.
In 1889, a lamp post and drinking fountain was erected in memory of councillor HW Currie at the corner of Dr Pixley KaSeme Street (formerly West Street) and Mahatma Gandhi Road (formerly Point Road). The eThekwini Municipality urban design department refurbished the fountain and relocated it to the Botanic Gardens in 2005.
Frequent visitor Christine Prescott Sole said there was much concern about the "missing sculptured fellow".
She posted on Facebook to quell rumours that it was stolen.
“... he has gone for repairs and restoration; he was feeling his age, somewhat. A drinking trough for animals and a fountain for the public..but a stone's throw from the original spring,” she wrote.
The municipality’s spokesperson, Msawakhe Mayisela, said the Currie Memorial Fountain, or “Currie’s Fountain”, is an ironwork fountain located at the lake edge in Botanic Gardens.
“Our city’s urban design department is currently handling the refurbishment. It includes specialist welding to repair cracks in the ironwork. It is expected to be completed by the end of February 2021. The city will also upgrade to the pump and filter system,” he said.
Mayisela said it had been vandalised and was in a state of disrepair at its original city centre location. It had to be taken apart, sandblasted and aluminium figurines made as a replacement to several of the original decorative pieces.
“Given the nature of the cast iron, ongoing repair to cracks and rust in the structure and decorative elements has had to be undertaken on several occasions over the years to maintain this historic piece,” Mayisela said.
Allan Jackson’s Facts About Durban stated that in 1878 a drought and shortage of water prompted Currie to sink an artesian well in search of water in the area below the Botanic Gardens. Water is struck and the well, named Currie’s Fountain, delivers 50 000 gallons (189 270 litres) of water to the town every day through pipes which are laid for the purpose.
Jackson wrote that the drinking fountain was modelled after Brussels’ famous Mannikin Pis but Durban goes one better by incorporating two little boys in its design. Prudery wins the day, however, and the boys do not add water to the fountain in the traditional “mannikin” way but end up pouring it out of pots.
Daily News