AfriForum and EFF at odds over Pretoria street names
AfriForum said on Thursday that it was disgusted by the “destruction” of street name signs in Pretoria by members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
AfriForum Spokesperson Ian Cameron said the EFF, which smeared street name signs with red paint on Wednesday, has no respect for “people’s heritage and history”.
“We will not be getting into a fight with the EFF, but we want everyone’s history to be told instead of being destroyed.
Street names are also part of history,” said Cameron.
“It seems that the EFF can only debate with red paint and that nation building does not feature on their one-sided agenda.”
The EFF’s actions were in retaliation after AfriForum youths “revived” the “correct” names – Helen Joseph Street and Church Street.
All in all AfriForum put up 49 new street name signs.
Police arrested five members of AfriForum in connection with the changing of the street name signs.
Cameron said the police had not asked the AfriForum youths what they were doing and neither did they read them their rights before detaining them.
“… they were detained at the police station for about two hours without any charges or explanation,” said Cameron.
The EFF Secretary General Godrich Gardee responded saying his party does not deny the smearing of street name signs by members of the party.
“We will not continue to be traumatised by things that remind us of imperialism and oppression. In other parts of the world like Germany you will not find statues of Hitler nor will you find a statue of him in Jewish communities.
Why should we?” asked Gardee.
He said the street names were erected illegally by the AfriForum. Gardee dismissed AfriForum’s claim that the EFF was a party that fuels racial hatred in South Africa and disrespects history.
“Heritage that promotes white supremacy and colonialism belongs at the back of a museum not in front of us,” said Gardee.
In June last year, the EFF proposed that government rename 40 Western Cape towns.
Reports also suggeseted the EFF was considering lobbying for a change of South Africa’s name.
The EFF has promised to mobilise communities in order for street names to be renamed.
Meanwhile, Afriforum also reached out to the public to help save their “heritage”