Oom Paul cleaned, ready for celebrations
The metro has cleaned the defaced statues at Church Square ahead of commemorations to be held at the square on Saturday.
Andrew Ngozo
The recently vandalised statues of Paul Kruger’s sentries at Church Square have been cleaned.
But right-wing group Front National said, while it welcomed the cleaning, the defacing was cause for concern.
Front National spokesperson Francois Cloete said it would converge on Church Square on Saturday at 10:00 to commemorate the old Heroes’ Day and Paul Kruger Day.
“We believe that this was a deliberate political attempt to frustrate the Afrikaner community. Why was the vandalism done a few days prior to the planned commemoration? Nevertheless, we are not fazed and will proceed as planned,” said Cloete.
Concerned citizens were asked to bring a wreath to lay at the monument.
Saturday would have been Kruger’s 190th birthday and the 111th year of his statue standing in square.
Tshwane metro enlisted the services of the Voortrekker Monument to clean up the statue, said mayoral spokesperson Blessing Manale.
Manale said that a portion of the fence surrounding the statue had been removed to allow the public easy access for taking pictures. He said the fence would be placed back next week.
“We felt it was appropriate to keep that portion open so the cultural groups that will be celebrating can have access to it. Thereafter, the fence will be closed again,” said Manale.
The removal of statues of the apartheid era and colonial times have been a hot topic in recent months.
The ANC Youth League in ward 59 in Sunnyside will be marching to the metro, on a date to be announced, to demand the relocation of apartheid statues from Church Square.
“The statues are intimidating our people at a time when they should be enjoying the fruits of freedom,” said branch secretary Lucas Mpilo.
“Instead the statues are a constant painful reminder of the past.”
Manale said the metro was very close to finalising discussions on the possible removal and relocation of the statues from the square.
“A decision in that regard will be made soon and announced before the end of the year,” he said.
Also read:
Church Square statues defaced again
Rightwingers responsible for defacing Kruger – mayor
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