Johannesburg - The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng condemned the defacing of the Mahatma Ghandi statue in Johannesburg and called for a national dialogue on the preservation of the country’s heritage.
“Recent events have shown that the debate around South Africa’s history and heritage is taking place in a leadership vacuum, and has been hijacked by minorities on the left and the right fringes of the political spectrum,” Gauteng party leader John Moodey said in a statement on Monday.
“The DA calls on the leadership of political parties and civil society to enter into a comprehensive dialogue on South Africa’s past and preserving our shared heritage.”
Molefe Maila, 21, was arrested on Saturday in connection with defacing the Ghandi statue in the Johannesburg CBD. He was granted R500 bail in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Recent events regarding the defacement of statues had shown that the debate around history and heritage was taking place in a leadership vacuum, Moodey said.
“There have been no calls for calm, there have been no calls for restraint, and there have been no calls to find a middle ground where we as South Africans can find unity and purpose in our shared heritage.”
ANA