S.Africa discourages attempts to remove statues of apartheid figures by violent mean

The South African government said on Wednesday it does not support nor encourage the defamation or violent removal of any statue because it does not encourage people to take the law into their own hands.

The government's attitude and policy to all heritage sites, including statues of former colonial figures like Cecil John Rhodes and Paul Kruger, is based on a national policy of reconciliation, nation building and social cohesion, said Sandile Memela, spokesperson of the Department of Arts and Culture.

This came amid growing calls to remove statues of outstanding apartheid figures, including Rhodes, a colonialist, and Kruger, an apartheid-time president.

Students at the University of Cape Town (UCT) have staged protests over the past few weeks, demanding the removal of Rhodes' statue from the university campus.

The Economic Freedom Fighers (EFF), a radical group, has also initiated a campaign to remove the statue of Kruger at Church Squre in Pretoria.

Both statues have been defaced or vandalized.

"In fact, we cannot allow anarchy and demagogues to play on the feelings of the people by whooping up emotions on this issue," Memela said.

"It must be emphasized that the National Heritage Resources Act of 1999 stipulates particular technical as well as consultative processes that should be followed in the case of a removal and/or relocation of a statue," Memela said.

Under the Act, an entity or community that wants to move or remove a statue or monument will need to undertake a 30-day public consultation process.

"As a result, it is advisable that a consultative process be initiated at the earliest opportunity in the process where the applicant must notify all relevant bodies, including applying to the South African Heritage Resource Agency or relevant provincial or local structures," said the spokesperson.

Heritage sites and national monuments have cultural significance and value because of their importance to a community in revealing a pattern of South Africa's history, demonstrating a particular aspect or time of South Africa's natural or cultural places or objects, Memela said.

The statues may also hold strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons, he added.

According to Memela, no formal application has been received for removing any of the statues in the country. Endi