The National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, Minister Nathi Mthethwa in collaboration with the Department of Military Veterans, Director General Ms Irene Mpolweni, will on Friday, 2 December 2022 host a Consultative National Work for Military Veterans on the New Repatriation Model. The workshop will take place at the Birchwood Hotel, in Boksburg.

Hosted in partnership with the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) and the National Heritage Council (NHC), the national consultative workshop will present a new country-to-country model and implementation plan for the repatriation of Human Remains of Military Veterans who perished in exile.

Following a need to relook at the repatriation and restitution programme approach, His Excellency Mr Cyril Ramaphosa appointed a Presidential Technical Task Team (PTTT) on Military Veterans to address issues related to Military Veterans chaired by the Deputy President Mr David Mabuza. The result of this Task Team led to Cabinet approving the National Policy for the Repatriation and Restitution of Human Remains in March 2021 under which an Advisory Committee was formed. The Committee was tasked with the development of the most cost effective and yet impactful model and implementation plan to address past repatriation challenges which among others include lack of coordination, individual repatriation, high financial costs etc.

Through workshops, a new inclusive and integrated country-to-country approach has been adopted for presentation during the upcoming National Consultative Workshop.

Source: Government of South Africa