South Africa repatriates remains of over 40 freedom fighters who died in exile

By Hassan Isilow

South Africa received the remains of 42 of its freedom fighters Wednesday who died in neighboring Zimbabwe and Zambia while in exile during the apartheid era.

The remains were received by government officials and family members at Waterkloof Air Force Base near the capital Pretoria, where a reception ceremony was held.

The heroes and heroines had been buried in the neighboring countries when they died decades ago during apartheid. They will now be reburied in their country of birth.

Hundreds of South Africans fled the country during the racial segregation regime of apartheid and joined the ruling African National Congress (ANC) in waging a war against white minority rule.

President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement Wednesday that the repatriation of the freedom fighters’ remains forms part of the Resistance and Liberation Heritage Route Project (RLHR).

‘‘The RLHR is a national memory project aimed at commemorating, celebrating, educating, promoting, preserving, conserving and providing a durable testament of South African’s road to freedom,” he said.

Ramaphosa also said the repatriation initiative is part of a broader effort to bring the remains of freedom fighters who died in exile to their final resting places.

Some of the remains of prominent people that have been returned include former ANC Secretary General Advocate Duma Nokwe, who died in Zambia many years ago.

Another known figure whose remains were returned was Edwin Letsholo Makoti, one of the founding members of the Pan African Congress (PAC), who passed away in Zimbabwe in the 1980s.

On Friday, President Ramaphosa will hold a ceremony at the Freedom Park Heritage Site and Museum in the capital Pretoria to welcome back the remains.

Ramaphosa said the ceremony forms part of Heritage Month, which is being observed under the theme “Celebrating the Lives of Our Heroes and Heroines Who Laid Down Their Lives for Our Freedom."