Cape Town - The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) on Thursday said any decision made on the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Cecil John Rhodes statue must consider the broader public’s view and be in line with reconciliatory efforts.
“The preamble to our Constitution states that South Africa belongs to all who live in it and as such, we welcome those taking a critical look at how heritage is represented in our country,” said SAHRA chief executive Veliswa Baduza on Thursday.
Baduza discussed SAHRA’s view on the ongoing debates and student-led protests surrounding colonial and apartheid-era statues, signs, and symbols.
Most notably of these was the Rhodes statue at UCT, where the University’s Senate recently voted almost unanimously for its removal.
“Moving a statue to a less prominent place can and has been done,” said Baduza, “We cannot obliterate history but we can determine what our national heritage looks like”.
Baduza explained the process UCT and any other body would need to follow before potentially moving a statue, referring to Nelson Mandela’s statue at the Union Buildings.
The Mandela statue replaced that of General Hertzog, where the province was consulted as well as the Hertzog family.
“All stakeholders agreed that Hertzog must make place for Madiba,” she said.
“The Gauteng Heritage Resources Agency consulted the relevant affected stakeholder. In UCT’s case, this would be the Rhodes Foundation,” she said.
“Along with this, a 30-day period is needed for public participation and the various university constituencies need to be consulted”.
Following the consultation process, the University would be able to lodge a application with the regional Heritage Resources Agency whose experts, with SAHRA’s input, would make a decision.
Baduza said SAHRA acknowledged the frustration of some about the speed at which decisions were made regarding heritage sites.
“We acknowledge that the pace needs to be bettered. There is a lot we must do as custodians to ensure South Africa’s heritage is non-racist, non-sexist, and progressive,” she said.
Baduza said it was a matter SAHRA had to look at critically but that work was being done, such as the memorials for late politicians and activists, J.B. Marks and Moses Kotane.
African News Agency