Now in its third week, the #RhodesMustFall protest has raised much debate on the controversial statue, a "symbol of colonialism", extending to another debate about Rhodes University changing its name, which has since been closed, reports City Press, and now furthermore to Cecil John Rhodes' grave, as reported by the Mail & Guardian.
Many opinions have been expressed, from ex-Rhodes students to UCT Vice-Chancellor Max Price and Economic Freedom Fighter (EFF) leader Julius Malema, but the notion of transformation is central to the issue.
And then of course there's Zapiro:
Cliffcentral.com: Historical Education... Gareth Cliff is of the opinion that we shouldn't judge a person who died a hundred years ago by the enlightened thought and sensitivity of the present. "I'm sure people in a hundred years' time will laugh at our attempts at ascribing value to things we hold dear today but which will be laughable in an age of bionics, interconnectivity and super-technology ... You can't cherry pick the qualities of a 'good' or 'bad' person in a historical sense by using your own or even a modern set of parameters," he says.
Axes to Grind and Fish to Fry: The statue, the poo and the university... UCT Chemical Engineering Faculty Member Jenni Case on what the statue debate is really about... and it's not just about a statue. It is "an important conversation".
BDlive: Debate over Rhodes is one of transformation... Pointing to Rhodes University removing a statue of Rhodes from its main entrance at the beginning of the democratic era, Adekeye Adebajo, Executive Director of the Centre for Conflict Resolution in Cape Town asks: "Why has it taken so long for a debate to emerge at UCT on Rhodes' legacy?"
