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INDEPENDENT MEDIA The statue of Paul Kruger in Pretoria's Church Square. File photo: Thobile MathonsiPretoria - Removing the statue of Paul Kruger from Church Square in Pretoria would be the beginning of a vicious cycle surrounding the country’s national monuments, the Freedom Front Plus said on Wednesday.
The FF Plus supported a protest by mostly Afrikaners in front of the monument on Wednesday after vandals covered two of its bronze sentries in bright green paint on Sunday.
Controversial Afrikaans singer Sunette Bridges chained herself to the monument. She was supported by fellow musician Steve Hofmeyr. According to reports on social media, the pair sang Die Stem.
“The moment you start removing certain memorials and statues and then say after ten years we have a new government and radicals are taking over then they’re not going to be satisfied with statues of Nelson Mandela or Zuma. What then? “ FF Plus MP Pieter Groenewald asked.
“It’s a vicious cycle. Let’s rather have mutual respect for each other as individuals and as different cultures and as far as our histories are concerned.”
Groenewald said President Jacob Zuma’s silence on the matter was concerning.
“He [Zuma] is supposed to come out strongly and condemn it and that’s exactly what Nelson Mandela would have done, as he did in the past,” said Groenewald.
Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa has issued a statement urging South Africans to find an amicable solution to the fiery debate raging over the apartheid and colonial era memorials around the country.
“We cannot allow anarchy and demagogues to play on the feelings of the people by whooping up emotions on this issue.”
ANA
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