The DA wishes to condemn in the strongest possible terms, the actions of the small minded hooligans who defaced statues in Krugersdorp by pouring paint over them.
“We trust that the police will do their work and bring these criminals to book,” said DA councillor Jaqueline Pannall.
“We have information at our disposal which suggests that the Mogale City Local Municipality took no action to secure the statues before the incident took place. If this proves to be true, the municipality must be condemned for sleeping on the job.
The statement reads that the DA does not support the revision of history by destroying statues or displaying them in some “graveyard”.
“The project that we need to undertake is to use the statues and memorials of our past and to repurpose them in line with a shared future vision that exemplifies the values of reciprocal respect in accordance with the Constitution. It is our view that monuments and statues must remain as a reminder when history takes a turn that is not in our collective best interests.
“Why do we not build new statues that honour the personalities of the democratic era whatever their party political affiliation and place them in an educational space where they sculpturally engage in perpetual conversation with the figures of the past? This would symbolise the constant attention and reflection that must be present in each generation in order to ensure that as a country, we do not take the wrong road.”
Pannall further states that in addition, “we need to drive the importance of organising and managing protest in accordance with the rule of law and democratic principles. Failure to do this is likely to lead us down the path of lawlessness which only benefits the lawless”.
Nelson Mandela argued strenuously against the destruction of statues and monuments, including that of Hendrik Verwoerd.
In May 1996, he rededicated the 1820 Settlers Monument in Grahamstown and congratulated the municipal leaders for incorporating its past into a progressive and forward looking memorial based on equal rights and justice.
“Let us emulate Madiba by not taking a short-sighted stance that is likely to contribute towards an increase in racial and political tension. Cool heads, a measured approach and the enforcement of the law are what is needed now.”
