The Shield Defaced

Barend la Grange at the Rosebank Police Station after being arrested for defacing the painting by artist Brett Murray of President Jacob Zuma, the painting was entitled The Spear.

It was suposed to be a normal day of workingthe late shift, 12 to 8 and ill be back home. If only I had known.

I was booked for a story at the O.R Tambo airport at 12:30 and left my house the morning at around 11:20. On my way to the airport I heard on the radio that two men had thrown paint on the painting entitled The Spear. The painting has been causing a lot of waves through the ANC and they were at that stage busy with a court case trying to get the Goodman Gallery to take the painting down.

I finished my story at the airport and got back at the office around 2:30, I finished filing my pix and was sent to relieve a fellow colleague at the Goodman gallery. I arrived there around 3 and proceeded to wait for better days as there was nothing much happening. The reason I was sent was because a man attempted to spray paint the word "respect" on the gallery wall, he didn't get far only the letters Res before he was arrested.

 Lowie Mabokela was the second suspect who used his hands to paint black over the painting.

 Barend la Grange getting into a car outside the Rosebank SAPD

George Moyo the third man who attempted to spray paint the word "Respect" on the gallery wall.

 Lowie Mabokela with some of the black paint still visible on his hands

George Moyo


At about 5:30 the afternoon I was told I could go back to the office when another colleague phoned me to ask if I could come and relieve them at the Rosebank SAPD as she still has a couple of stories to file and off course I was on late shift. So I went and so the epic wait started.

I met with my journalist and got the updates and so we waited for the release of the three suspects.

We proceeded to wait and had to listen to many lies about they were sneaked out and they are not being released. But we prevailed and eventually came up with the goods. Just after 11 that night the three suspects were released and we at last got some footage and images.