Remains of 49 freedom fighters who died in exile to be handed over to SA govt

JOHANNESBURG - The remains of 49 freedom fighters who died in exile in Southern African countries are set to be handed over to the South African government on Wednesday.

Defence Minister Angie Motshekga and Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton Mckenzie will receive the remains at Waterkloof Airforce Base in Pretoria.

The former liberation heroes died in exile in Zimbabwe and Zambia between 1967 and 1990.

This event is part of the government’s exile repatriation programme, which aims to honour those who sacrificed their lives for South Africa’s freedom.

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The remains of the former chairman of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC), John Nyathi-Pokela, are among those being repatriated from Zimbabwe back to South Africa.

Nyathi-Pokela was one of the freedom fighters who left the ANC Youth League to help establish the PAC in 1959.

He died in hospital after a short illness in 1985 – and was honoured with a State funeral by the Zimbabwean government for his contribution to the fight against apartheid.

Most of the remains that will be received belong to former PAC members and members of Umkhonto Wesizwe, which was the ANC’s armed wing.

On Friday the government will host a homecoming ceremony for the 49 liberation heroes at Freedom Park in Pretoria.