By Akani Nkuna
The Gauteng government has returned the remains of freedom fighters who lost their lives in exile to their families, bringing a sense of closure and honouring their sacrifices.
“As part of the Repatriation and Reburial National Project, the South African Heritage Resources Agency has engaged with families to establish their reburial preferences and most would prefer reburial at the Heroes Acre in the jurisdiction of the City of Johannesburg, and only a few prefer private reburial sites,” Gauteng acting premier Lebgang Maile said on Friday.
He was speaking at a repatriation ceremony at the Johannesburg City Hall. It was attended by family members and a number of government officials, including Sports, Arts and Culture Deputy Minister Peace Mabe.
Maile emphasised the provincial government’s collaborative efforts with the families of the deceased, ensuring their active involvement in the preparation for a dignified handover of the remains.
“Part of our responsibility is assessing and addressing the needs of the affected families’ current socioeconomic status,” he said.
The project to repatriate and rebury the remains of freedom fighters was launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa in September at Freedom Park in Tshwane. It followed the repatriation of 42 exhumed remains of freedom fighters from Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Friday’s handover ceremony included the remains of several notable anti-apartheid activists, including Vernon Moodley, Bennet Sibanyoni, Tshetlo Matshaba, Andrew Mashaba, Vincent Khumalo and Clayton Tshele.
“Since the ascendance of a just and democratic order in South Africa in April 1994, it has been a matter of government policy to ensure that all men and women who left the world of the living while fighting for our freedom are repatriated back to their country of birth,” said Maile.
Ali Mohammed, who spoke on behalf of the Moodley family, thanked the government for affording the families much-needed closure in bringing the remains of their loved ones home.
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