AfriForum calls for moratorium on statues

The Cecil John Rhodes statue at the lower main steps of UCT was bound with plastic by protesting students demanding its removal. Photo: COURTNEY AFRICA

The Cecil John Rhodes statue at the lower main steps of UCT was bound with plastic by protesting students demanding its removal. Photo: COURTNEY AFRICA

Published Mar 31, 2015

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Durban - Calls for the removal and relocation of public statues linked to colonial rule was an “ill thought” and would only polarise South African communities further.

This is the view of civil rights organisation, AfriForum, which intends to resist these calls by launching a campaign against the removal of statues in public spaces.

Alana Bailey, deputy chief executive officer of AfriForum, has called on the public who are not in favour of this to call for a moratorium against the removal of statues.

“Protest in favour of the removal and relocation of the ill considered statues constitutes an easy way to get media attention for an ideological standpoint, results in the incitement of emotions and serves only to polarise South African communities further. No one benefits,” Bailey said.

“AfriForum proposes a national heritage summit where the future of monuments, statues, towns, streets and schools can be discussed. It is necessary for all stakeholders to reflect calmly and in a balanced manner regarding the future of our past before efforts to get rid of aspects thereof cause irreparable damage to the South African cultural heritage.”

The DA spokesman for Arts and Culture in the province, George Mari, said people needed to show restraint.

“We are concerned about the calls for the removal of the statues which is being done in an unacceptable manner. We cannot go about defacing and vandalising statues which form part of our history. This issue will be raised with the MEC for Arts and Culture in the province and will probably be escalated to parliamentary level,” Mari said.

Last week the King George V statue at the University of KwaZulu-Natal was defaced after calls for the removal of the Cecil John Rhodes statue at the University of Cape Town. The vandalising of the statues has caused a fiery debate nationally.

The statue, which towers over the Howard College campus, was splashed with white paint, bearing the message: “End White Privilege.”

Daily News

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