The remains of Duma Nokwe, the first African advocate and late ANC secretary-general who died in exile in Zambia 40 years ago, will be exhumed.
Plans for the exhumation and reburial in South Africa were announced this week.
His daughter, Dr Nomvuyo Nokwe, the current Indian Ocean Rim Association secretary-general, made the announcement when accepting the King Sigcau Bravery Award on his behalf at the Mpondo Heritage and Cultural Festival at Matshona village near Ntabankulu on Saturday.
“This award is a great honour to us and comes at the most opportune time, as this year marks the 40th passing of my father,” said Nomvuyo, who lives in Mauritius.
“We have been staying in exile for over 27 years, not being able to know our roots and we are happy that we are in Mpondoland, where his roots are, This gives us more strength and hope as we prepare for his reburial [in Johannesburg].”
Nomvuyo said it was her mother Vuyiswa Malangabi-Nokwe’s wish that her husband be repatriated.
She died in 2008 and was cremated.
Her remains will be buried alongside her husband once his remains are brought home.
“My father was a patriot who fought and sacrificed his life for the liberation of South Africa. Yet he was not one of the lucky ones to see the dawn of democracy and vote when others eventually did in 1994.
“So let his bones rest back in his ancestral land.”
Nokwe’s bones to come home
Image: Lulamile Feni
The remains of Duma Nokwe, the first African advocate and late ANC secretary-general who died in exile in Zambia 40 years ago, will be exhumed.
Plans for the exhumation and reburial in South Africa were announced this week.
His daughter, Dr Nomvuyo Nokwe, the current Indian Ocean Rim Association secretary-general, made the announcement when accepting the King Sigcau Bravery Award on his behalf at the Mpondo Heritage and Cultural Festival at Matshona village near Ntabankulu on Saturday.
“This award is a great honour to us and comes at the most opportune time, as this year marks the 40th passing of my father,” said Nomvuyo, who lives in Mauritius.
“We have been staying in exile for over 27 years, not being able to know our roots and we are happy that we are in Mpondoland, where his roots are, This gives us more strength and hope as we prepare for his reburial [in Johannesburg].”
Nomvuyo said it was her mother Vuyiswa Malangabi-Nokwe’s wish that her husband be repatriated.
She died in 2008 and was cremated.
Her remains will be buried alongside her husband once his remains are brought home.
“My father was a patriot who fought and sacrificed his life for the liberation of South Africa. Yet he was not one of the lucky ones to see the dawn of democracy and vote when others eventually did in 1994.
“So let his bones rest back in his ancestral land.”
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