POLOKWANE – Statues in the city have been removed for safekeeping after it was discovered that a bust was defaced with white paint on Monday morning.
The Moolman Group, owner of Library Gardens in the city, was informed early on Monday morning by a security guard at the centre that white paint had been poured over a bust on the corner of Schoeman and Grobler Street. The bust was that of Genl Stephanus Schoeman, who was president of the then Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) from December 1860 to April 1862.
Moolman Group spokesperson, Zönke Moolman-Pautz, said as a result of this incident, the company removed the bust as well as three others for safekeeping until these could be relocated. “Discussions are ongoing as to find a suitable site where these heritage items can be preserved and people wishing to view them can do so,” Moolman-Pautz said.
“As the Moolman Group, we are proud of South Africa’s diverse heritage. One of the ways we have demonstrated this is by commissioning busts of former presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki, as well as Kgosi Makgoba of Magoebaskloof. We support the preservation of our country’s heritage irrespective of gender, race or colour. The sculptures in question are of people after whom streets in Polokwane were named. They were donated to the city and displayed at our building in Library Gardens. With statues and sculptures across South Africa being vandalised, we realised these busts could become a target, so we immediately began discussions with stakeholders to relocate them for safekeeping.”
The Moolman Group addressed a letter to the Polokwane Municipality last Tuesday declaring its intention to remove the sculptures. A discussion with all stakeholders about what to do to safeguard the statues and sculptures, and preserve them in a safe place, would be held, Moolman-Pautz confirmed.
Other sculptures removed included those of Voortrekker leader, Lang Hans van Rensburg, former state attorney of the ZAR, John Jorissen and Velkornet and assistant general of the northern areas, Koos Grobler.
Meanwhile, sport, arts and culture acting head of department, Mabakane Mangena, said the municipality should open a case of malicious damage to property against the Moolman Group for unlawfully removing the sculptures. “The company had not applied for a permit to remove the sculptures. They should have applied in terms of the Heritage Resources Act to the National Heritage Council,” Mangena said.
According to the Act, even if sculptures are located on a private person’s property, permission must be obtained to remove it.
Municipal spokesperson, Tidimalo Chuene, said a matter of this nature and public interest required that certain processes as prescribed by the National Heritage Resources Act of 1999 and related regulations were followed. “The Act and related regulations clearly stipulate that the destruction and removal of sculptures without a permit from the relevant heritage authority is outside the law.” She said the swift removal of the sculptures happened while a report was still to be tabled before council on how best the municipality, working with other stakeholders in various spheres of government could best protect and preserve them.
“The municipal administration will still proceed with the required due processes of preparing a report to council on the state of affairs on all historic sites and monuments, with recommendations that aim at providing a clear directive on how all these issues should be dealt with henceforth.”
She said the municipality’s legal services unit was currently studying the sequence of events leading to the removal of sculptures against legislation that governed the process.
“This is done with an intention of advising the political leadership and management on how best to conclude this matter with the Moolman Group in an amicable manner that does not undermine council and its public participation protocols,” Chuene said.
