Tempers flare over statues
Learn from our history, warns Mancotywa
NATIONAL Heritage Council chief executive Sonwabile Mancotywa last night warned that a nation that did not learn from its past ran the risk of repeating it. Tempers flared between a Khoi activist and the EFF at The Herald/NMMU Community Dialogue at Nangoza Jebe Hall in New Brighton.
The dialogue was part of The Herald’s 170th birthday celebrations and came after the EFF claimed responsibility for vandalising and defacing at least three statues in Nelson Mandela Bay in the wake of the Rhodes Must Fall campaign by University of Cape Town students.
Mancotywa said a multi-party task team would sit and discuss how best to deal with the issue.
“We must remember history in its glorious, triumphant moments but also its painful moments. If we destroy history, it may be repeated tomorrow.
“This debate has unveiled that South Africans are not aware of our historic journey.
“Today it can be the destruction of statues and tomorrow it can be violent overthrow,” he said.
ANC MPL Christian Martin, who spoke as a Khoi activist, also took a swipe at the EFF, saying its anarchist ways were proof that Julius Malema’s party would never be in power as it was against social cohesion.
“What happened before 1994 was a just cause. This is just anarchy – 100% pure anarchy. I think what we are hearing here tonight is more rea- son for all of us to say that never shall it be that the EFF be in charge of this country. If an EFF leader can say when he looks at a white person he becomes angry, that is anarchy. “We engage in this country. “When you are in war and you conquer the enemy, you cannot do as your enemy [did]. Your enemy cannot be your teacher,” Martin said.
EFF MPL Dingezweni Peter said the statue issue was the tip of the iceberg and predicted people might forcibly take ownership of farms.
“The statues must go to a museum. We don’t want to see them on our streets. Our streets belong to those who fought the real kind of struggle.
“What we are hearing from the liberation movement is processes, processes. And now when we act you call us anarchists. You were anarchists just yesterday against apartheid. You taught us to be anarchists.
“We are going to continue this fight even if you take us to prison. At least you are going to feed us there. We are not scared of prisons, so if it means we must go to prison, let that be.
“We are not going to be apologetic about the issue of statues,” he said to big “yes” chants from the EFF.
Peter said they would also target road-name signs as they targeted anything they deemed offensive.
Mancotywa jokingly said it was good he was seated between Martin and Peter to prevent a “tug of war”.
Eastern Cape AfriForum coordinator Marnus van Staden called for a debate around statues, saying destruction was not the way to go.
“Let us not break down but rather build memorials side by side. Monuments are part of our history. Rather than breaking down – build up. Let us share the knowledge.”
Mondli Makhanya, who provided a media perspective, said the debate over the statues saga was indicative of a “stuck country”.
“We are not engaging on what will move this country forward.”
EFF Bay regional leader Paul Walsh compared those who wanted to see the statues removed to rape survivors who were subjected to seeing their victimisers on a daily basis. “The biggest mistake you can make is to go against us right now.”