African National Congress (ANC) secretary general Fikile Mbalula said in honor of the former liberation heroes and heroines who were buried in Zambia and Zimbabwe, government must continue its programme of repatriating those who passed away in exile, so that families are assured closure.

Mbalula was speaking in Pretoria during the repatriation and restitution homecoming ceremony of South African freedom fighters who lost their lives in Zambia and Zimbabwe during the apartheid era, where he pointed out that repatriation of those buried in countries such as Tanzania, Angola, Uganda, Lesotho, Mozambique, and others will follow.

President Cyril Ramaphosa officiated Friday’s ceremony.

The remains of over forty former liberation heroes and heroines were brought back to South Africa on Wednesday, after decades of exile, with Mbalula saying this represented various generations, united by the desire to liberate their motherland.

He said the homecoming was a culmination of extensive work over the years by the ANC government, highlighting that many hurdles had to be overcome to correctly trace the final resting places of the freedom fighters.

“Some have been quick to claim easy victories and arrogate this homecoming to their preferred leaders. This homecoming is a culmination of years of painstaking work by the ANC to fulfil a commitment to the families to bring their loved ones home,” he stated.

The frontline States that stood as a bulwark against the aggression of the apartheid State gave the ANC’s struggle momentum and rallied the continent and the world, Mbalula noted.

He pointed to the “indelible” role that Zambia and Zimbabwe played in giving the ANC’s struggle momentum.

“Both Zambia and Zimbabwe became victims not only of cross border raids and strikes, but also assassinations, bombs, grenades and other attacks. Despite these they remained steadfast in their solidarity with the liberation movements and peoples of South Africa,” he said.

However, he noted the bittersweet moment of bringing back the remains of these freedom fighters to South Africa, as they were never able to taste the fruits of freedom in their homeland, let alone see their loved ones.