Heritage site defaced hours after PAC march
The final resting place of Pan Africanist Congress founder Robert Sobukwe has been severely vandalised in what the party has condemned as a deliberate and despicable attack. The incident occurred just hours after the PAC conducted what it described as a successful mass march through the Eastern Cape town recently renamed in Sobukwe's honour.
The granite headstone at the Kroonvale cemetery was ripped from its plinth and smashed, with shattered pieces of stone left scattered at the base of the grave. PAC members had visited the site on Wednesday, shortly before the damage was discovered.
Party spokesperson Mpisane Anelisa told media the vandalism was almost certainly linked to fierce opposition surrounding the renaming of the town, previously known as Graaff-Reinet. The name change was officially gazetted last month, prompting significant backlash from certain residents who staged large-scale protests earlier in the week.
"This is a sign of contempt. Robert Sobukwe was a man who united people. This was done on purpose by people who do not want to see the name change."
Sobukwe, widely revered as a towering figure in the anti-apartheid struggle, served as the first president of the PAC. His grave is considered a national heritage site and a powerful symbol of African resistance. The PAC has insisted that the desecration of such a site demands the utmost seriousness from authorities.
Criminal case opened as PAC demands swift justice
The party has formally lodged a criminal complaint of intentional damage to property with law enforcement and is demanding a rapid, comprehensive and transparent investigation. Anelisa stressed that those behind the act must be identified and held fully accountable.
While the PAC has stopped short of naming suspects, Anelisa said the party was well aware of who its opponents were. He characterised the vandalism as a desperate move by divisive forces intent on sowing confusion and undermining Sobukwe's growing legacy.
"It is deeply worrying that such an incident takes place at a time when the voice and vision of Sobukwe is being rekindled right across the country."
Anelisa maintained that the renaming would ultimately benefit all residents by boosting the local economy and restoring dignity. He urged the community not to allow acts of defiance to drive a wedge between them, calling instead for unity across racial lines.
"Let us all unite. The name change is supposed to bring unity and dignity to black people."
The PAC reaffirmed that its march had been held to defend and preserve Sobukwe's legacy, name and ideals, and vowed to continue its campaign for reconciliation. Anelisa warned that no amount of criminal provocation would succeed in erasing a legacy he said was deeply rooted in the hearts and consciousness of the masses.
