The remains of 42 South African freedom fighters who died in exile during the struggle against white minority rule have been returned to South Africa.

The bodies, exhumed from Zimbabwe and Zambia, were received by government officials and family members at the Waterkloof Air Force Base in Pretoria on Wednesday.

This effort is part of a government initiative to bring closure to families whose loved ones perished abroad while working within the underground movements of the African National Congress (ANC) and the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). Many of these freedom fighters had fled South Africa to avoid arrest or to receive military training aimed at toppling the apartheid regime.

Among the returned remains were notable figures such as Duma Nokwe, Florence Mophosho, and Basil February, all significant contributors to the anti-apartheid struggle. Deputy President Paul Mashatile highlighted the repatriation as a crucial part of educating future generations about the sacrifices made in the fight against apartheid.

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to preside over a homecoming ceremony before the remains are returned to families for reburial. The government is also working to repatriate the remains of other South African exiles from countries such as Lesotho, Ethiopia, and Russia.