South Africa welcomed the mortal remains of 42 freedom fighters who passed away in exile in Zimbabwe and Zambia during the struggle against white minority rule. The remains were exhumed in Zambia and Zimbabwe and received at the Waterkloof Air Force Base in Pretoria for reburial in their home country.
The repatriation is part of a government initiative to bring closure to families of those who died while serving in the underground structures of the African National Congress and Pan Africanist Congress. Many activists left South Africa before the end of apartheid to receive military training abroad or to avoid arrest by the apartheid regime.
The African National Congress, led by Nelson Mandela, shifted its headquarters to Lusaka, Zambia, after being banned in South Africa. Numerous freedom fighters died in exile and were buried in these countries.
The returned remains include those of prominent figures such as Duma Nokwe, Florence Mophosho, and Basil February. South Africa's deputy president highlighted the repatriation as a means to educate future generations about the sacrifices made in the struggle against apartheid.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to host a homecoming ceremony for the repatriated remains before they are handed over to families for reburial. The government is also in the process of repatriating remains from other countries like Lesotho, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Angola, and Russia.
Deputy Defense Minister Bantu Holomisa expressed hope that this process would extend to more individuals who died under challenging circumstances in other nations, welcoming them back to reunite with their families.
