MBOMBELA – The Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mr Mduduzi Manana has condemned the act of defacing statues in the country.
“The call for the removal of statues were made by the students of all racial groups at the University and the main intention was to raise a an honest and robust debate issues of transformation of Institutions of Higher learning in South especially those institutions not designated as historically disadvantaged,” he said.
He said the debate about symbols and statues is indeed necessary to reshape the past, however, it has to be done with dignity.
“We condemn the defacing of statues without following necessary procedures. We should not employ acts of barbarism in our approach as we debate issues of statues and transformation should not be reduced to statues, but should look at underlying issues which centred on transformation of higher learning,” he said.
While a number of apartheid statues or sculptures including the removal of the statue of Cecil John Rhodes from the University of Pretoria, the vandalising statue of Paul Kruger in Krugersdorp and others, Mpumalanga also had the statue of the missing freedom fighter, Umkhonto WeSizwe’s Nokuthula Simelane in Bethal Cultural Precinct spray-painted on the chin and torso on the night of April 14.
“Police are investigating a case of malicious damage to property and we are appealing to anyone who has information to come forward and help the police arrest the suspects,” said Sgt Gerald Sedibe.
The ANC Youth League’s provincial deputy secretary,
Mr Vusi Mkhatshwa said the youth league was also against the destruction of statues as they are part of the country’s history.
“Our view is that those statues, painful as it they are, form part of our history and our children should know where we come from.
We need a national dialogue on this matter so that if our people are not happy about where the statues are, then identify places where they can be placed,” said Mkhatshwa.
