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ZAMBIA AND ZIMBABWE PROJECT

The Exile Repatriation Project is a landmark national initiative dedicated to repatriating the remains of South Africa’s fallen liberation struggle heroes and heroines from countries across the continent to be laid to rest in their homeland with dignity and honour. The first phase of the project prioritised Zambia and Zimbabwe following the President’s announcement during the 2020 State of the Nation Address. In 2021, Cabinet approved the National Policy on the Repatriation and Restitution of Human Remains and Heritage Objects, which mandated the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) to establish a Repatriation and Restitution Office to lead and coordinate this important work.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             The project was subsequently identified by Minister Gayton McKenzie as a priority programme during the first 100 days of his tenure, reinforcing government’s commitment to restorative justice, remembrance, and the preservation of South Africa’s liberation history. Due to the scale and significance of the undertaking, an intergovernmental committee led by Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) Heritage Promotion and Preservation and SAHRA was established, bringing together a wide range of stakeholders including the Departments of Defence and Military Veterans, Home Affairs, Health, International Relations and Cooperation, Justice, provincial governments, Freedom Park, and the Missing Persons Task Team. Dedicated task teams were formed to coordinate family engagement, exhumations, repatriation logistics, communications, ceremonies, and diplomatic engagements with host countries through South African embassies.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Between 4 and 13 September 2024, exhumations were conducted in Lusaka and Livingstone, Zambia, where the recovered remains were temporarily housed at Minah Soko Military Hospital before the delegation proceeded to Bulawayo and Harare in Zimbabwe to continue the process. On 25 September 2024, official handover ceremonies were held in both countries, marking a significant milestone in the project. In Zambia, the ceremony at Lusaka Military Base was attended by Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Peace Mabe, Deputy Minister of Military Veterans Richard Mkhungo, and Zambian dignitaries.