While the EFF on Monday denied being behind the defacing of a statue in King William’s Town, the party insisted there was “no space for colonial symbols which represent… a history of oppression, degradation and humiliation”.

DA councillor Dillon Webb, however, said it should be seen as a reminder of the country’s history.

The Queen Victoria statue was vandalised and covered in the letters “EFF” in red spray paint over the weekend.

The party’s Eastern Cape spokesperson, Yoliswa Yako, said while it did not take responsibility for the vandalism, these statues were “trophies symbolising the colonialist invasion of South Africa”.

“Little or nothing is said about our own heroes, our own history, the warriors who gallantly fought the wars of resistance against colonial invasion.

“Where are the statues of Chief Bambatha, King Hintsa and Makhanda ka Nxele?”

She slammed the government for failing to review statues and “all colonialist symbols”.

“Now African people from all walks despise and loath the heinous invasion, and dispossession of our land by western colonisers.

“The imminent and inevitable removal of these colonial symbols is necessitated by the unfortunate reminders they present to the indigenous people of this land.

“As such, South Africa must not be surprised if there are more such incidents.”

But Webb countered this, saying the statues “should be seen as a reminder of our past and on how far we have come in our young democracy”.

“We cannot change history. Our country’s heritage is part of our history and simply cannot be ignored or taken for granted,” he said.

Should it be found that the party was involved in “these barbaric and foolish ways to spread their message by damaging our towns and cities”, legal action should be taken against them, Webb insisted. News24