The State of the Statues in SA

“You can’t build a new building with yesterday’s cement. You can only build anew with what you have today.” Mohan H

I am no politician neither am I a history boff. I don’t know all the facts, but I am willing to sit with someone and have them share with me our heritage, our history and our journey, not just as a South African, but as a human being.

I can however share the following with you around the issue on statues in South Africa. I am certain this applies to any country in the world.

If we have no memory of pain, then how does this moment of joy have any significance? If all you ever know is sunshine, you will hold no value to sunny days. We will only fully appreciate the sunny day, if we have rainy days. The statues are a memory of pain and struggle. However, it is a powerful reminder of how far we have come. We can truly value now, because we can compare it to the past. We have a point of reference.
Instead of breaking down statues, build new statues with the old ones. Tell a new story.

It is fundamentally important to not just remember where we are going by having vision, but also to remember where we came from, by having hindsight.
That which hurts the most teaches soonest. These statues may be a reminder of what not to do. The generations to come need to know the history of the past, so it is never repeated. A real leader sees in 360 degrees. He has the ability to see ahead, but the intelligence to look behind to check that his actions are not being repeated.

I have never used a battery in a TV remote with just a positive terminal. Every battery I have ever seen has a positive and negative end. Both are needed to give electricity. Similarly, if it were not for every negative person, circumstance or government of the past, we would not be the South Africa we are today. It may be ignorant to pretend that the negative has not been beneficial in some way. It has surely served us and supported us in making South Africa as it is today.

Sadly, non of the people vandalising the statues or taking it down, have actually been involved in the “struggle”. They grew up having the majority of their life free from apartheid or having no memory of it as babies. So what is this pain they speak of? It’s really disrespectful to our great leaders, our grandfather’s and grandmother’s or our own parents who actually did endure the suffering.

Years from now, I want my great grandchildren to read a new history textbook that tells a story of heros and heroines who despite the odds, rised above the adversity and created a beautiful life. A story that speaks of people that put the past behind them and built something incredible with what they had in their present moment.

All I see are people wanting to be victims or claiming to be victims. Victims are powerless people who do not add value to their lives or the lives of others. They act out of fear and their lives and everything they touch leads to destruction instead of leading to construction of anything great and valuable.

The truth is, the agenda is not about transformation or finding peace or building anything new. If it was transformation they seek, they would follow the correct procedures to have the statues removed. If it was peace they seek, then their behaviour would not be violent or barbaric.

Transformation or change does not happen over night. It can take a lifetime. Real leaders are selfless. They think about the generations of people who will live in our country because they acted in a way that built a nation. They greatest act of love, is planting a tree, whose shade you may never enjoy.

If only the same energy of bringing down statues, we’re used to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless and employ the jobless.

Statues are impermanent pieces of metal that deteriorate by the elements.
Whereas an act of kindness and love, leaves a permanent mark in the heart of a human being that is inherited for centuries to come.

Bring down your ignorance and stupidity, not statues.

I have real work to do in my beautiful country. You may continue playing victims. Unfortunately, while you break it apart, we have to work harder to keep it together.

Love,
Mohan H