South African President Jacob Zuma (center) shakes hands with Nelson Mandela's grandson Mandla Mandela after unveiling on Monday a 9-meter bronze statue of former South African president Nelson Mandela in Pretoria. Alexander Joe / Agence France-Presse

The 4.5 metric ton statue is the largest of Mandela created in the world and was inaugurated on the lawn of South Africa's hilltop Union Buildings, the seat of the central government, overlooking the capital Pretoria.

Mandela died at age 95 on Dec 5 in Johannesburg and was buried on Sunday in his home village of Qunu in Eastern Cape province following 10 days of emotion-charged mourning.

"We laid Tata to rest in Qunu only yesterday. Today, he rises majestically at the seat of government, as a symbol of peace, reconciliation, unity and progress," South African President Jacob Zuma said at the unveiling.

"Tata" is the Xhosa word for father, and Mandela is revered as the father of the new South Africa born from the end of apartheid in 1994 when he became the nation's first black president.

Reuters