Exhumation and Repatriation of bodies of fallen heroes from Lesotho

The Amathole District Municipality (ADM) has an established Amathole Heritage Initiative which is focused on identifying heritage sites within the district, upgrading them and registering them with the National Heritage Council of South Africa.  Four heritage routes were established in 2004 within the district named after Xhosa kings and heroes, namely Sandile, Maqoma, Phalo and Makana.  These routes were later linked to the Liberation Routes of the Eastern Cape.  Historically, the Amathole District is well known as the area where the border conflict between the isiXhosa nation and the colonial forces  occurred, where nine frontier wars of land dispossession took place between 1779 and 1878.  The district is dotted with the remains of various forts, mission stations and graves of various struggle heroes and Xhosa kings.  Part of the ADM’s heritage programme is to unearth the histories and cultures of past traditions and heroes, including their language and poetry, and hence the ADM organises the annual SEK Mqhayi Language conference.  Research has also been undertaken into the works of early African Intellectuals, many of whom originated from the Amathole District.  However, there are many artefacts and mementos that are still located in foreign countries, including the bodies of struggle heroes who never received a proper burial in their home country.  These include members of Umkhonto Wesizwe, Azanian People’s Liberation Army (APLA) and Azanian Liberation Army (AZANLA).

The National Heritage Resources Act No 25 of 1999 recognises the promotion of the symbolic restitution and research about the previously neglected traditions and customs, and the Eastern Cape Development Strategy of 2004 also identified cultural heritage as a means of growing the province economically.

Eight members of Umkhonto Wesizwe and APLA who originated from this district died and were buried in Lesotho during the Apartheid years.  These include Leon Meyer and his wife Jacqueline, Mzukisi Skweyiya, Mzwanele Fazzie, Lepota Marayi, Cassius Barnabus, Sipho Notana and Boniswa Ngcukana who were all buried in Maseru.  The time has now come to repatriate these remains back to their families in South Africa.  The Meyer family however, after consultation, have requested that the bodies of their relatives remain in Maseru.

The ADM is working together with the National Prosecuting Authority and the National Heritage Council of South Africa in facilitating the exhumation and repatriation of the remains of the struggle heroes.  A delegation of more than 20 members consisting of family members of the struggle icons, ADM officials and councillors, will be visiting Maseru in Lesotho as of 13 to 16 February 2011 and will be meeting up with these other agencies. 

Please find attached the programme for the trip.  The delegation will be met by the Mayor of Mangaung at the Lesotho border post at 16h00 and a press conference is being arranged at the SA High Commissioner’s offices in Maseru at 17h00 on Sunday, 13^th February 2011.  The delegation will also be welcomed by former war veterans at the SA High Commissioner’s Office.

Another press conference is also being arranged upon the return of the delegation back at the East London City Hall at 18h30 on Wednesday, 16 February 2011 to report on the delegation’s visit to Lesotho.