‘It’s an attack on Afrikaner culture’
Rallies in Pretoria defend Paul Kruger and Jan van Riebeeck memorials
PROTESTS calling for the removal of colonial figures’ statues took a twist yesterday as groups in Cape Town and Pretoria rallied to their defence. In Pretoria, the charge was led by Afrikaans singer Steve Hofmeyr in a demonstration by about 80 people at the Paul Kruger statue on Church Square. Others waved the Vierkleur flag.
Members of the Front National party were in attendance as well as Afrikaans singer Sunette Bridges.
At the same time, the Jan van Riebeeck statue in the CBD was surrounded by a group identifying themselves as Afrikaners who came out in its defence.
Among them were members of the Front National party and activists from the Red October movement.
The movement’s leader, Johan Willemse, chained himself to the statue. He said the acts of vandalism and disregard for statues went deeper than physical intimidation.
“We need to show our children that it is important to protect our national heritage. It’s not just an attack on a statue, it’s an attack on an ideal,” he said.
“These are sad times for the history of South Africa. The cause for these attacks are because of Julius Malema and the EFF.”
He said all South Africans should be included in talks related to statues before decisions were made.
Protester Misha-Lamé Schoeman said: “We are not going to sit around and ask for permission for this demonstration to take place. We need to keep our heritage safe. This is what keeps our memory alive and we as the minority should not be excluded from the nation. We need to stand together and say this is not okay.”
She said the action against statues was an attack on Afrikaner culture.
“The only solution to this issue is that cultures should respect each other’s heritage. They should be left alone, and the only way to do that is to be tolerant of each other’s cultures.”
Daniel Lotter, of the Front National party, said the issue required government intervention.
“The attacks and actions to remove statues similar to the Jan Van Riebeeck statue, (are) cultural terrorism,” he said.
“We can erect monuments that reflect South Africa’s Struggle history, but that does not justify the damage and removal of existing monuments, such as the Rhodes statue or the Paul Kruger statue in Pretoria.”
Meanwhile, AfriForum Youth was expected to hang signs of support on statues around the Cape Town CBD today before handing over a memorandum to Parliament later.
PICTURES: EPA, DIRK HEYDENRYCH