Fresh calls have emerged for the grave of anti-apartheid activist and PAC founder Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe to be declared a protected national memorial.
This after land reform and rural development minister and PAC president Mzwanele Nyhontso visited the vandalised gravesite in Robert Sobukwe Town, formerly Graaff-Reinet, on Tuesday.
Nyhontso’s visit comes days after Sobukwe’s grave was desecrated again, the second such incident this year and the latest in a string of attacks that have plagued the site for years.
The vandalism has reignited calls for the grave of Sobukwe, who died 48 years ago at the age of 53, to be formally protected and developed into a national memorial.
This is according to Azania Movement president Nolubabalo Mcinga who joined Nyhontso during the visit.
They were joined by the party’s Johannesburg mayoral candidate, Thami ka Plaatjie, and members of Sobukwe’s family.
Speaking on Tuesday, Mcinga, who had motivated for the name of the town to be renamed from Graaff-Reinet to Robert Sobukwe Town, said the continued vandalism of his grave was heartbreaking, shameful and completely unacceptable.
“It is not merely an attack on a grave. It is an attack on the legacy of one of Africa’s greatest sons and on the history of our liberation struggle,” she said.
Mcinga said repeated attacks on the gravesite demonstrated the need for a permanent solution involving the government, heritage authorities, the Sobukwe family and political organisations.
She revealed that after an earlier incident this year, she had discussed possible security measures with Nyhontso, including the idea of protecting the grave with a steel structure.
According to Mcinga, Nyhontso told her the proposal had previously been discussed with Sobukwe’s late widow, Veronica, who opposed the idea because she did not want her husband to be “locked up” again after the years he spent imprisoned under the notorious Sobukwe Clause.
“We must respect that deeply personal decision,” she said.
“However, respecting her wishes cannot mean accepting that the resting place of one of Africa’s greatest liberation leaders remains vulnerable to repeated vandalism.”
She argued that Sobukwe’s gravesite should be secured and preserved as a place of education and national pride.
Meanwhile, the PAC also condemned the latest attack, describing it as an act of cruelty and an attempt to undermine efforts aimed at fostering social cohesion in the town.
The party said concerned residents alerted the Sobukwe family and local political leaders on Friday after discovering damage to the graves of Sobukwe, his wife Veronica and the ashes of their son, Dinilesizwe Tebello.
According to reports received by the party, vandals dug into the grave and appeared to be attempting to reach Sobukwe’s coffin and remains.
The party said the graves had been desecrated more than six times over the years.
The latest incident comes amid lingering tensions following the official renaming of the town earlier this year.
Civic organisation AfriForum took sports minister Gayton McKenzie and the South African National Geographical Names Council to court after a petition calling for the decision to be revoked.
In July, commissioners from the Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Rights Commission visited the area after the Sobukwe family requested an investigation into repeated acts of vandalism.
Meanwhile, various parties have since facilitated dialogue sessions aimed at easing tensions among residents who hold differing views on the renaming process.
The PAC said it had also deployed senior members to support efforts to maintain calm and encourage co-operation among communities.
The party said the attacks might be intended to disrupt reconciliation efforts and deepen divisions within the town.
Police in the province have opened another investigation under the National Heritage Resources Act.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana said a visitor noticed damage to the historical gravesite on Sunday and reported the matter to the local police station on the same day.
“The investigation is currently ongoing,” Gantana said.
The family could not be reached for comment by the time of publication.
Daily Dispatch
