A heated debate unfolded in Parliament regarding a proposal to establish a special committee to investigate the future of apartheid-era statues and memorials in public spaces. The draft resolution, submitted by EFF leader Julius Malema, revealed deep divisions among political parties, with some supporting the committee and others denouncing it as a wasteful expense.
The debate highlighted statues such as the equestrian figure of Louis Botha in front of Parliament and others on Jan van Riebeeck and Cecil John Rhodes roads as examples of contested monuments. The EFF argued that these statues are not neutral historical markers but symbols of oppression.
“These statues are a celebration of the conquest of Africans. They are trophies erected not to tell history but to legitimize colonial occupation,” a representative for the EFF stated. “They were placed in city centers so that every African child growing up under colonialism would look up and see his or her oppressor portrayed as a hero.”
The newly formed MK party supported the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee. Echoing the EFF’s sentiment, an MK party spokesperson argued, “We cannot build genuine unity, cohesion and pride while we ask the majority to walk past monuments that glorify their tormentors.”
However, other parties contended that the process should be led by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, rather than a parliamentary committee. The IFP presented a clear alternative to removal, advocating for a policy of recontextualization.
“We cannot allow ourselves to believe that by demolishing or moving a statue or memorial, we demolish the injustices of history. History does not work that way,” an IFP spokesperson said. “Let the statues stand not as glorification but as reminders of what we overcame. Let us add plaques, educational displays, and counter monuments that tell the full story.”
The Democratic Alliance (DA) also opposed the committee, framing the debate as one between “builders and breakers.” A DA spokesperson said, “Luckily the majority are builders who positively want to recognize the reality of our history, but also then to build and give recognition to our new heroes and our new statesmen.”
The ANC expressed a nuanced position, suggesting that relocation to museums could be a significant act of reconciliation. “The ANC believes that relocating certain statues to museums where they can be properly contextualized as part of a painful history rather than celebrated is itself a significant act of reconciliation,” a party spokesperson stated. The ANC also pointed to progress made through initiatives like street renaming and the construction of new monuments like Freedom Park.
A final decision on whether to establish the Ad Hoc Committee will be put to a vote at a later date. Initial indications suggest that the matter will instead be referred to the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture to lead the process of evaluating the continued presence of these statues in public spaces.