In officiating the repatriation and restitution homecoming ceremony of South African freedom fighters who lost their lives in Zambia and Zimbabwe during the apartheid era, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the ceremony must build on the emerging government-wide collaboration on cultural heritage and preserving the memory of the country’s freedom fighters.

Ramaphosa was speaking in Pretoria, where he said government must work with education and heritage stakeholders to ensure that the names and contributions of African freedom fighters are known and appreciated by future generations.

Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton Mackenzie and Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga on Wednesday received the remains of former liberation fighters who passed away in exile in Zimbabwe and Zambia.

The repatriation process is said to be conducted in close collaboration with regional governments, historical experts, and local communities to guarantee a respectful and well-coordinated return.

Ramaphosa said the return of the remains from Zambia and Zimbabwe marked the start of a process to return the remains of fallen freedom fighters from several other countries.

“The Exile Repatriation Project will continue, in fulfilment of the duty we owe to those who fought for our freedom, to their families and to the generations to come. South Africans need to know the names and appreciate the contributions of these returned freedom fighters,” he said.

The South African government expressed its gratitude to the people and governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe, for “having taken great care of South Africa’s compatriots” and for enabling their remains to be repatriated.

“…like other countries on our continent – and in other parts of the world – they stood alongside us in our struggle for freedom. They hosted our freedom fighters. They provided material assistance. These countries dedicated themselves to our cause, often at a great cost to themselves and their people,” Ramaphosa said.

He wants government to build memorials to the sacrifices, resilience and solidarity that characterised the friendship between the countries.

“We are hopeful that we may work with the authorities of these countries to promote the memorialisation of our shared struggles. We hope that we may promote education, tourism and people-to-people exchanges,” he said.

He said in memory of those who fell, government must work “with greater determination” to lift South Africans out of poverty and to create employment and equal opportunities.

“We must work to end all forms of violence. We must build safe homes and communities. We must tear down the divisions between black and white, between men and women, between rich and poor,” he added.

He pointed out that the journey of the fallen patriots reflected the “powerful and irreversible” ties of solidarity and friendship among Africans and the peoples of the world.

“As a country, our experiences of struggle and solidarity propel us to continue to work vigorously for a better Africa and a better world. Our commitment to international peace, justice and respect for human rights is unwavering. We will continue to stand opposed to any form of colonialism or apartheid anywhere,” he stated.