Blade is out for Rhodes

Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande has come out in support of calls to have a statue of Cecil John Rhodes removed from the University of Cape Town, saying it should be "stored in a museum"...

Cecil John Rhodes... In his day admired, now reviled by some. (Image: Public Domain)

"Cecil did play a significant role in our history and we cannot sweep that under the carpet," he said yesterday.

"However it does not mean we should celebrate history's most dubious and anti-democratic characters who used their ill-gotten power to promote bigotry and the subjugation of Africa's indigenous people."

Nzimande said transformation at South African universities should include changing the demographic composition on campuses and having a curriculum that reflected the country's developments and cultural needs.

"We should never accept the notion, implicitly or explicitly propagated by some that increasing inclusivity - at our best institutions will lead to a drop in quality.

"Such arguments only serve to defend privilege," the higher education minister said.

Source: The Times, via I-Net Bridge