Pretoria: President Cyril Ramaphosa has, through his weekly newsletter, called on South Africans to celebrate the lives of struggle icons who fought and died for freedom. The President’s call comes days after the reburial of struggle icon, Advocate Duma Nokwe, who the President recently conferred the honorary title of Senior Counsel (Silk).
According to South African Government News Agency, in Monday’s newsletter, President Ramaphosa described the lives lost during the fight against Apartheid as a ‘heavy price’ paid for the families that lost loved ones. He emphasized the ongoing impact on families and communities who never got the opportunity to properly lay their loved ones to rest or learn the circumstances of their deaths. The President highlighted the importance of national reconciliation and moving forward while continuing efforts to restore dignity to those who were denied it in life.
President Ramaphosa reflected on the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) following the fall of the apartheid government. He described it as an attempt to ‘shed a light on the atrocities committed during apartheid’. However, he noted that numerous apartheid-era security officials either refused to appear before the TRC or did not fully disclose their actions, with some resorting to delaying tactics and obstruction to evade trial. The President announced the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate allegations of interference in the investigation and prosecution of apartheid-era crimes referred by the TRC.
The President also addressed the issue of repatriating the remains of activists like Advocate Duma Nokwe who died in exile. He assured families still awaiting the return of their loved ones that the government is steadfast in its commitment to restoring the dignity of these activists. This effort is supported by legal frameworks such as the National Heritage Resources Act and a draft National Policy on the Repatriation and Restitution of Human Remains and Heritage Objects.
President Ramaphosa acknowledged the challenges of dealing with the memory of past atrocities, describing it as a ‘cathartic process’ vital for national healing, cohesion, and unity. He emphasized the importance of remembering the painful past to shape the character of democracy, the legitimacy of institutions, and the resilience of the people. The President reiterated the country’s commitment to policies of restitution and redress to acknowledge and correct the historical injustices of apartheid and to restore the dignity of apartheid’s countless victims, bringing closure to their families.