Free State: EFF slammed for plans to remove “colonial” statues
The Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) are livid with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), after they revealed that the Red Berets are planning to table a motion removing all colonial-era remnants in the local legislature.
As well as plotting to tear down certain statues, the FF Plus claim that their political nemeses want to remove “symbols of colonialism” which are still on display in the Free State chambers.
EFF to target “colonial symbols” in Free State
It’s alleged that the party will table a motion on the matter on Tuesday. However, this has only sparked a war of words between the two organisations. Jan van Niekerk is the FF Plus’ provincial leader, and he has slammed the EFF for wanting cause “racial polarisation”
“This attack on Afrikaner history opposes nation building and instead promotes racial polarisation. The history of all racial groups must be respected. The motion states, among other things, that black people have no statues of their heroes in the Free State and that only white heroes are honoured with statues in the Free State.”
“The EFF is demanding that historical symbols, like the ones in the fourth council chamber, as well as the statue of General Christiaan de Wet must be removed. The EFF argues in its motion that the removal of these symbols will contribute to the eradication of colonialism. General De Wet, however, himself fought against colonialism and was not in any way involved in Apartheid.”
Jan van Niekerk, FF Plus’ provincial leader
Political parties lock horns on thorny “colonialism” issue
Van Niekerk was also highly critical of the EFF’s political priorities. It’s claimed that they are simply exercising a form of “short-sighted populism”. The Red Berets are yet to respond to the matter, but it’s thought they will save their opinions for Tuesday’s highly-anticipated session of Parliament in Free State.
“We cannot rewrite or change the past, instead, we should respect and honour all cultural groups’ history and learn from past mistakes.While the people in the Free State are starving and are burdened with extremely poor service delivery, the EFF is prioritising symbols.”
“This is clearly indicative of the EFF’s short-sighted populism. They have not yet learned that a country is not uplifted by breaking down sections of society. As long as this is the EFF’s premise, poverty and inequality will continue to exist in South Africa. The FF Plus will oppose this motion.”
About Solomon Alozie
