South African families in Zimbabwe to exhume, repatriate remains of political activists who died in exile

By IOL News

Several South African families, whose relatives were political activists who migrated and later died and were buried in Zimbabwe, have travelled to the neighbouring country to perform rituals of exhuming and repatriating their loved ones.

The South African government, through the departments of Sport, Arts and Culture; Justice and Constitutional Development, as well as Defence and Military Veterans will be hosting an event to receive the mortal remains of the activists who died in Zimbabwe.

Members of the media have been invited to apply for accreditation to cover events related to the Exile Repatriation Project.

“On September 25, the government will receive the mortal remains of former liberation heroes and heroines who passed away in Zimbabwe and Zambia. The event will take place at Hanger 10, Waterkloof Air Force Base,” the Government Communication and Information Systems said in a media advisory.

Following the event on Wednesday, a homecoming ceremony and the launch of the country-to-country repatriation model will be held next week at Freedom Park, in Tshwane.

This homecoming ceremony will be hosted under this year’s Heritage Month theme: “Celebrating the lives of our heroes and heroines who laid down their lives for our freedom.”

Meanwhile, Catherine Zikalala, one of the families’ representative spoke to SABC News in Zimbabwe where she has travelled to collect the mortal remains of her relative, Edna Nomakosazana Mgabaza who was born in 1922 and passed away in 1987.

Mgabaza, a nurse by profession, worked in Zambia before relocating to Zimbabwe where she later died.

“She was a nurse who was recruited to come and work in Zambia, so she came in the mid-60s. She was based in Zambia,” Zikalala told the SABC.

“While there, she was also helping with the logistics for the African National Congress because we had to fight the war from all fronts. The war for freedom was not just soldiers with their AK-47s.”

She said while working at the hospital in Zambia, Mgabaza was able to nurse South African freedom fighters including Duma Nokwe, secretary general of the African National Congress from 1958 to 1969.

“He actually passed away in her hands. When he passed away, she then moved to Harare from Zambia. She passed away here on October 16, 1987.”

Zikalala has saluted the South African government for initiating this exhumation and repatriation process, adding that the families need closure.

“People left and went to fight for freedom for South Africa and they went to different parts of the world. Once we bring their remains back home, we have closure. We are grateful to the government for having taken this step, it has been in the pipeline for the past five years,” she told SABC.