Staff Reporter
PRESIDENT Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has described the repatriation of Namibian ancestral and mortal remains, casts and cultural artefacts from South Africa as a significant milestone in restoring dignity, identity and a sense of belonging.
“After decades of separation, we have gathered to receive the remains of 84 of our ancestors, whose remains were kept at Iziko Museum in South Africa. Their arrival in Namibia marks an important step in addressing that history. Secondly, we receive the mortal remains of the late Comrades Festus Nehale and Simon Petrus Niilenge, two Namibians whose lives became part of the liberation struggle for our country’s freedom. They were among those imprisoned for their political involvement in that struggle and were incarcerated on Robben Island, together with political prisoners from Namibia and South Africa,” the President said.
She made these remarks during the arrival and reception ceremony at Hosea Kutako International Airport.
Photos: Namibian Presidency.
“Hosea Kutako International Airport is more than a point of arrival. It is the place where we gather to receive the remains of our people whose lives were caught up in some of the most difficult chapters of our history. Today is a heavy day. It is also a day of profound reflection, solemn gratitude and deep national pride. The promise has been kept: our nationals have returned to the warm soil of the country for whose freedom they gave their lives,” she said.
The President further announced that the remains of Festus Nehale and Simon Petrus Niilenge will be reburied with dignity at Heroes’ Acre on Monday, 24 August 2026. The reburial will be followed by the unveiling of their tombstones on Heroes’ Day, 26 August 2026. Meanwhile, the 84 ancestral human remains will remain in the care of the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture.
“To the families who have carried, for more than five decades, the pain of loss and the burden of uncertainty: we acknowledge your anguish, we honour your patience, and we thank you for the strength with which you have preserved the memory of your loved ones. No ceremony can return the years that were lost, nor can words erase the pain you have endured. Yet, through this homecoming, our nation affirms that our people and their sacrifices were not forgotten, and that their place in the history of Namibia remains secure,” President Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
