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Pretoria - Controversial Afrikaans singer Sunette Bridges says her protest action at the foot of the statue of Paul Kruger in Church Square, Pretoria was against the vandalism of all statues in the country.
Bridges threatened to chain herself to the statue if the mayor of the City of Tshwane Kgotsientso Ramakgopa did not collect a petition to protect heritage sites and symbols.
Bridges said a representative of the mayor's office obliged on Wednesday, which meant she would not have to spend the night with 'Oom Paul'.
(Ockert de Villiers, News24)
"We are here against the absolute vandalism and destruction of statues, monuments and heritage," Bridges said on Wednesday morning.
"This first started when Jacob Zuma got onto a podium and said all the problems in this country started when Jan van Riebeeck landed in the country."
She said this was part of an unyielding attack on Afrikaner heritage and the minority group.
Bridges said more than 12 000 people had signed the petition.
(Ockert de Villiers, News24)
The statue of Kruger and two bronze sentries in Pretoria was defaced with green paint over the Easter weekend.
The FF Plus laid charges against the EFF which admitted to being behind the defacing of the statue.
Close to a hundred people representing Afrikaner political parties including the Front Nasionaal Party, the Boer Vrou Liga and the Freedom Front Plus gathered from 09:00.
Some of the protesters held placards reading "Hands off our heritage. This is genocide!" and "If colonial statues aren't safe. Are we?"
See some video footage of protesters at the statue site here:
