Standing in the shadow of Paul Kruger’s statue‚ Kate Khoza has been an almost daily witness to history for nearly two decades.
Khoza‚ 38‚ who lives in Hammanskraal‚ has been selling fruit and cigarettes in Pretoria’s Church Square for the past 18 years‚ but is not interested in getting involved in the politics of the day.
“It’s usually peaceful and quiet here‚ but there are a lot of political gatherings‚” she said. “I am not interested in that. I just want to work‚” Khoza said.
Wednesday’s National Day of Action‚ which saw political parties across the board come together to unite against President Jacob Zuma‚ was one of the biggest marches some of the vendors at Church Square have seen in recent years.
Church Square‚ which dates back to the late 1800s as the historic centre of the country’s administrative capital‚ has been the starting point of some of the biggest protests and celebrations seen in post-apartheid South Africa.
Leon Bezuidenhout‚ 61‚ is the manager of the historic Riche Café‚ which opened its doors in 1905 and stands to the left of the statue of Paul Kruger‚ the Afrikaner leader.
“From the start‚ Church Square was a gathering point for people for protests. It’s been a place where people could resist‚ but also where people celebrated‚” he said.
“If people have a gripe‚ and if they manage to get permission‚ they would gather in Church Square.”
The square has become a focal point for protests against President Zuma’s rule‚ starting with Save SA activists who camped there and marched to the Union Buildings last Friday.
Freddy Mgidlana‚ 53‚ a vendor from Mamelodi‚ has been selling flags‚ hats‚ glasses and cigarettes in Church Square for the past 15 years.
He said the marches against Zuma and his government in recent days have been memorable.
“There was the EFF march last year. That one was big‚ but today is also very big‚” he said. “But I can’t remember all the others. Even though I’m selling today‚ I am also walking with them. I am going to the Union Buildings and I’m supporting the march.”
S’mangaliso Lekabe‚ 38‚ wearing a beanie with the Palestinian flag on it‚ a blue hoodie and jeans‚ said he had been selling cooldrinks in Church Square for two decades.
“I grew up around here and I’ve been working in Church Square for 20 years or so. I don’t work every day‚ but most days‚” he said.
“Today’s march is quite huge‚ and it is quite demanding on me. I have to run around and refill my stock all the time.”
Lekabe said he had seen Church Square being used as a place for political parties from across the spectrum to voice their concerns and to come together to celebrate.
“There are a lot of people. You see political gatherings‚ you see civil gatherings. In terms of marches‚ it is definitely gaining momentum to use this place‚” he said.
Lekabe said he supported the march to the Union Buildings on Wednesday‚ but would like to see people come together more often.
“I support the ideas that we must get rid of corruption. We need more progressive people for this country. We all pay taxes‚ so we must think about the future‚” he said.
“But it is almost like there are two groups. Some people only march today because it affects them directly. You don’t see them here when they are marching against crime or something like that‚” said Lekabe.
Leonie Marais-Botes‚ a heritage practitioner‚ said Church Square carried a lot of significance as a place to gather‚ as it is surrounded by buildings such as the Palace of Justice‚ where former president Nelson Mandela‚ Walter Sisulu‚ Ahmed Kathrada and the other Rivonia trialists were sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964.
“I think we’re seeing a lot of these marches using Church Square as a starting point because Pretoria is the administrative capital of South Africa‚” she said.
Marais-Botes said some of the other significant buildings in Church Square included the Old Netherlands Bank Building‚ the Old Reserve Bank Building‚ and De Oude Raadzaal (Old council hall). She said these had all in recent years been converted into offices used by local government in the city.
One of the most significant landmarks‚ which in recent years caused a lot of controversy‚ has been the statue of Paul Kruger. The statue was vandalised in 2015 with green paint amid calls for colonial and apartheid-era statues across the country to be taken down. Following this‚ right-wing and conservative Afrikaners‚ including Sunette Bridges‚ Steve Hofmeyr‚ and conservative Afrikaner nationalist party Front Nasionaal chained themselves to the statue.
-TMG Digital
In the shadow of Paul Kruger‚ history repeats itself with Zuma protests
Standing in the shadow of Paul Kruger’s statue‚ Kate Khoza has been an almost daily witness to history for nearly two decades.
Khoza‚ 38‚ who lives in Hammanskraal‚ has been selling fruit and cigarettes in Pretoria’s Church Square for the past 18 years‚ but is not interested in getting involved in the politics of the day.
“It’s usually peaceful and quiet here‚ but there are a lot of political gatherings‚” she said. “I am not interested in that. I just want to work‚” Khoza said.
Wednesday’s National Day of Action‚ which saw political parties across the board come together to unite against President Jacob Zuma‚ was one of the biggest marches some of the vendors at Church Square have seen in recent years.
Church Square‚ which dates back to the late 1800s as the historic centre of the country’s administrative capital‚ has been the starting point of some of the biggest protests and celebrations seen in post-apartheid South Africa.
Leon Bezuidenhout‚ 61‚ is the manager of the historic Riche Café‚ which opened its doors in 1905 and stands to the left of the statue of Paul Kruger‚ the Afrikaner leader.
“From the start‚ Church Square was a gathering point for people for protests. It’s been a place where people could resist‚ but also where people celebrated‚” he said.
“If people have a gripe‚ and if they manage to get permission‚ they would gather in Church Square.”
The square has become a focal point for protests against President Zuma’s rule‚ starting with Save SA activists who camped there and marched to the Union Buildings last Friday.
Freddy Mgidlana‚ 53‚ a vendor from Mamelodi‚ has been selling flags‚ hats‚ glasses and cigarettes in Church Square for the past 15 years.
He said the marches against Zuma and his government in recent days have been memorable.
“There was the EFF march last year. That one was big‚ but today is also very big‚” he said. “But I can’t remember all the others. Even though I’m selling today‚ I am also walking with them. I am going to the Union Buildings and I’m supporting the march.”
S’mangaliso Lekabe‚ 38‚ wearing a beanie with the Palestinian flag on it‚ a blue hoodie and jeans‚ said he had been selling cooldrinks in Church Square for two decades.
“I grew up around here and I’ve been working in Church Square for 20 years or so. I don’t work every day‚ but most days‚” he said.
“Today’s march is quite huge‚ and it is quite demanding on me. I have to run around and refill my stock all the time.”
Lekabe said he had seen Church Square being used as a place for political parties from across the spectrum to voice their concerns and to come together to celebrate.
“There are a lot of people. You see political gatherings‚ you see civil gatherings. In terms of marches‚ it is definitely gaining momentum to use this place‚” he said.
Lekabe said he supported the march to the Union Buildings on Wednesday‚ but would like to see people come together more often.
“I support the ideas that we must get rid of corruption. We need more progressive people for this country. We all pay taxes‚ so we must think about the future‚” he said.
“But it is almost like there are two groups. Some people only march today because it affects them directly. You don’t see them here when they are marching against crime or something like that‚” said Lekabe.
Leonie Marais-Botes‚ a heritage practitioner‚ said Church Square carried a lot of significance as a place to gather‚ as it is surrounded by buildings such as the Palace of Justice‚ where former president Nelson Mandela‚ Walter Sisulu‚ Ahmed Kathrada and the other Rivonia trialists were sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964.
“I think we’re seeing a lot of these marches using Church Square as a starting point because Pretoria is the administrative capital of South Africa‚” she said.
Marais-Botes said some of the other significant buildings in Church Square included the Old Netherlands Bank Building‚ the Old Reserve Bank Building‚ and De Oude Raadzaal (Old council hall). She said these had all in recent years been converted into offices used by local government in the city.
One of the most significant landmarks‚ which in recent years caused a lot of controversy‚ has been the statue of Paul Kruger. The statue was vandalised in 2015 with green paint amid calls for colonial and apartheid-era statues across the country to be taken down. Following this‚ right-wing and conservative Afrikaners‚ including Sunette Bridges‚ Steve Hofmeyr‚ and conservative Afrikaner nationalist party Front Nasionaal chained themselves to the statue.
-TMG Digital
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