PAC President Mzwanele Nyhontso, as the Minister of Land Reform & Rural Development, officially accepted the remains of the country’s fallen heroes. Photo archive.
The remains of 49 liberation fighters who died in Zimbabwe and Zambia finally arrived at the Waterkloof Airforce Base on Wednesday afternoon.
Among those who have been brought back to South African soil after decades buried on foreign lands, are ANC stalwart Advocate Duma Nokwe, PAC’s Edwin Makoti, Florence Mophosho and Basil February.
PAC President Mzwanele Nyhontso, as the Minister of Land Reform & Rural Development, officially accepted the remains of the country’s fallen heroes and heroines in Zimbabwe while the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton Mackenzie and Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga received the remains of the 49 former liberation fighters in Zambia.
He said this historic repatriation project has brought long-awaited closure to families who lost loved ones during the liberation Struggle against the apartheid settler regime.
Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans, Onicca Kwakwa, said the process was delayed due to some countries “not understanding” the process, basing it on international laws that people should be buried where they died.
“The process took long because in the beginning, it was done on an ad hoc basis at the request of families. Now because there was a policy put in place in 2021, gave impetus that this needs other departments to come on board including the NPA’s Missing Person’s Task Team, Home Affairs and others. Now that this is coordinated centrally, it is now you are seeing this project moving with speed,” she said.
While speaking to Newzroom Afrika on Tuesday, Nosizwe Nokwe-Macamo, the daughter of Nokwe, said an ANC scarf was buried with their father.
“Our father Duma Nokwe passed away 47 years ago and the most amazing thing is that when they found his remains, they found a black, gold and green scarf. His ANC scarf that he was buried in on the 12th of January 1978 was still around his neck,” she said.
According to the archives, on March 9 1956, Nokwe became South Africa’s first black advocate at the Johannesburg Bar.
It was reported that he pipped former ANC leader Nelson Mandela to the post but due to the laws of the time, the Minister of Native Affairs Hendrik Verwoerd turned down Nokwe’s application to have offices, known as chambers, in His Majesty’s Building, where the white advocates were housed.
This resulted in Nokwe having to illegally share premises with fellow Struggle hero, advocate George Bizos, from 1956 to 1962.
On Tuesday, while observing a heritage celebration in the Free State, Deputy President Paul Mashatile said the ANC was excited to welcome back to the country some its fallen heroes and heroines
“Today we welcome our fallen heroes and heroines back to South Africa, including the former ANC secretary general, Cde Duma Nokwe, from the countries where they fell. We are starting with Zimbabwe and Zambia and we will have a big celebration on Friday, September 27. This is just a beginning as there will be other countries such as Angola where other heroes fell,” he said.
This week, the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) in a statement on Monday said following their arrival, the government will host an official homecoming ceremony on September 27 at Freedom Park to mark the return of these liberation fighters to the country of their birth.
“Thereafter, reburial ceremonies will be held in the provinces of their origin, ensuring they are laid to rest with the dignity and respect they deserve,” it said.
The Exile Repatriation Program is guided by the National Policy of Repatriation and Restitution of Human Remains and Heritage Objects of 2021. This policy was adopted as part of South Africa’s broader commitment to ensuring that former liberation fighters who died in exile are returned home and buried with dignity.
The Star
siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za