Cape Town - The African National Congress on Monday threw its weight behind students’ calls for the removal of symbols of colonial oppression and apartheid at the country’s universities.
“The ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) unequivocally supports students in their determined demands for transformation at universities across the country,” said ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe said following the weekend’s NEC meeting which was held in Cape Town.
The NEC started meeting the same day the University of Cape Town’s Senate met to discuss the removal of the Cecil John Rhodes statue. At the Senate meeting ,181 members voted in favour of the statue being removed and one against.
In their discussion on transformation at tertiary institutions, the ANC said they appreciated statues were “mere symbols of our racist history and believe that the transformation needed must be concerned with entrenching fundamental and far-reaching structural, systematic and cultural change; reflective of the aspirations and realities of our democratic and non-racial order”.
The ANC said negotiations on transformation was no longer an option.
“The NEC believes that there can no longer be negotiation on transformation 20 years into democracy; transformation of our institutions must be a reality as a matter of urgency,” said Mantsahe.
“As society discusses the slow pace of transformation the question of racial polarization must be factored in.”
African News Agency