By Thapelo Molefe
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on South Africans to continue the difficult but necessary task of confronting the country’s painful apartheid past, saying the journey toward national healing and reconciliation is far from over.
In his weekly newsletter on Monday, Ramaphosa reflected on the broader importance of repatriating and honouring the remains of anti-apartheid activists who died in exile, saying it formed part of restoring dignity to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for democracy.
The president expanded on the broader significance of such efforts, describing them as essential acts of national restoration.
“Dealing with the memory of past atrocities is one of the most difficult and delicate tasks a nation can undertake,” Ramaphosa said.
“This can be a cathartic process but is vital if a country is committed to enhance national healing, cohesion and unity.”
The president said that democratic South Africa has made deliberate efforts to uncover the truth and pursue justice through institutions like the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), but lamented the fact that many apartheid-era operatives either withheld information or evaded accountability.
To address these historical failures, Ramaphosa reaffirmed his recent announcement that a judicial commission of inquiry was being established to investigate interference in the prosecution of apartheid-era crimes referred by the TRC.
He also reiterated government’s commitment to the repatriation of human remains and heritage items, citing ongoing engagements with international institutions still in possession of remains of South Africa’s indigenous people.
He pointed to the 2012 return of Klaas and Trooi Pienaar from an Austrian museum as a significant precedent.
The newsletter further highlighted the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture’s efforts to advance a national policy on the repatriation and restitution of human remains, describing this as a continuation of work first undertaken with the return of Sara Baartman’s remains in 2002.
“For the many families and communities across this country who never got the opportunity to lay their loved ones to rest or to even know how they died, the past will continue to cast a long shadow,” the president said.
He quoted American author William Faulkner: “The past is never dead, it’s not even past.”
Ramaphosa concluded with a reminder of the moral obligation to honour those who suffered under apartheid not only in word, but through action that built a more just, united and compassionate society.
“A heavy price was paid by many for the democracy we have today. This should continue to inspire us as we work together towards a shared future.”
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