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KOI AND SAN REBURIAL

The Government of South Africa, through the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and in partnership with the South African Heritage Resources Agency and Iziko Museums of South Africa, continues to advance national efforts to restore dignity to the country’s First Peoples through the repatriation and reburial of ancestral remains. These efforts form part of a broader programme guided by the National Policy on the Repatriation and Restitution of Human Remains and Heritage Objects, which seeks to address historical injustices while ensuring that the remains of Indigenous communities are treated with dignity, cultural sensitivity, and respect. This important work contributes toward healing the wounds of the past and bringing a sense of closure not only to affected communities, but to the nation as a whole.

In October 2025, South Africa successfully repatriated the ancestral remains of Khoi and San individuals from the University of Glasgow in Scotland. The remains had been held at the Hunterian Museum after being removed between 1868 and 1924 without the consent of the communities concerned. Their removal formed part of colonial-era practices where Indigenous remains were collected and studied for racial and anthropological research, reflecting a painful history of exploitation and disregard for the cultural beliefs, identity, and dignity of Khoi and San communities.

Following their return to South Africa, the ancestral remains were temporarily housed at Iziko Museums of South Africa, where they were cared for while consultations with Khoi and San leadership, community structures, and relevant stakeholders took place to determine an appropriate and dignified reburial process. The reburial ceremony, scheduled to take place at the Kinderlê Monument, represents an important moment of remembrance, healing, and national reflection. It acknowledges the legacy of the Khoi and San as the original inhabitants of South Africa while reaffirming the country’s commitment to restorative justice, reconciliation, and nation-building.