You too, Gandhi?

13 April 2015 - 02:20 By Sanya Mansoor

Ela Gandhi, the 74-year-old granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi, was hurt but not surprised by the defacing of the Gandhi statue in Gandhi Square yesterday. She said: "People are so intolerant that they can't respect others. Vandals can't wipe out our history."Whether it's Gandhi or Rhodes, there's no difference," she said.Gauteng police spokesman Lieutenant Kay Makhubela said a 21-year-old man had been arrested. He was caught painting the statue and, when confronted, said it must be removed.Ela asked: "Where does that psychology stop? If it's not stopped at this stage and if people continue to support this movement then everyone will suffer."The Paul Kruger statue in Church Square, Pretoria, has been cordoned off with barbed wire after being vandalised. Two Nyala armoured cars and three riot-police vehicles have been stationed in the square since Saturday.EFF members demanding the statue's removal clashed with Tshwane metro police at the weekend . Stones were thrown and rubber bullets fired.Additional reporting by Dominic Skelton..

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