Who is Rhodes? what did he do to people of color? why should he fall? Why does UCT glorifies him?
These are the questions I had when the #RhodesMustFall campaign was starting. It evoked a lot of anger and misunderstanding to many people and that spiked interesting conversation about colonisation, white priviledge and the black pain in South Africa. It was a perfect knowledge I needed as I am still reflecting on the "The born free generation" project. Instead of jumping with my camera to the debate, I engaged and participated in the debate. I have asked few black students about their opinions on #RhodesMustFall, and I failed to understand their response that as a black student at the University of Cape Town, I should feel proud to be in the institute as If I was not meant to be there. Students started camping at the bremner building(administraction house of UCT) which later changed to Azania house. Azania house is the house of liberation. Students were engaging deeply as to how they could transform the institute and our communities for four weeks till the fall of the statue of Cecil John Rhodes.
Students from Philippi High school(who marched to the department of education demanding new classrooms and textbook instead of getting an answer stun grenates were used against them) giving a report back to the #RhodesMustFall mass meeting outside Azania house in Middle campus.
The statue of Cecil John Rhodes fenced at the University of Cape Town.
A female student broke into tear while discussing why women matter and how we are still leaving in a patriachal society that does not respect women. She could not understand why a male student would disagree with the topic while women are being raped almost everyday in South Africa.
Inside the Azania house at night.
Students sacrified their comfortable beds to camp at the Azania house as a form of resistance to the colonial institualization at the University of Cape Town.
A drunk 45 year old afrikaaner man got up on the statue of Cecil John Rhodes and removed the plastic that was covering him and shouted that the statue is not going anywhere because Cecil John Rhodes funded University of Cape Town.
Inside the Azania house at night while students are camping in the building.
A female student shouting at the statue of Cecil John Rhodes as it was going to be removed.
Workers waiting to remove the statue of Cecil John Rhodes.
The statue of Cecil John Rhodes removed and placed on a truck, ready to be transported out of the campus.
Black pain is not negotiable.
A student punching the statue of Cecil John Rhodes after being removed.
Students threw red paint at the statue of Cecil John Rhodes and enchained it after being removed
A student applauding to the crowd watching the removal of the statue of Cecil John Rhodes.
Students watching the removal of the statue of Cecil John Rhodes at the University of Cape Town.
