Namibian ancestral remains are finally heading home, more than five decades after two men died in South African custody.

Authorities exhumed the remains of Simon Petrus Niilenge and Festus Nehale in Cape Town this month. They will return to Namibia for reburial on 26 August, celebrated as Heroes’ Day in the country.

That date carries weight. Namibia marks Heroes’ Day each year to remember those who fought for independence.

Niilenge died in 1974. Nehale died in 1971. Both had been imprisoned on Robben Island during apartheid and were buried in Cape Town.

There is something almost absurd about the timetable. A journey that should have taken days has taken 50 years.

THE STORY BEHIND THE NAMIBIAN ANCESTRAL REMAINS

The search for Namibian ancestral remains has uncovered a much larger story.

Namibian authorities say the remains of 84 Namibians have been identified at burial sites in South Africa. The two former Robben Island prisoners are among them.

Historical research helped establish the locations of their graves. Nehale was buried at Maitland Cemetery in March 1971. Niilenge was buried at Nyanga Cemetery in April 1974.

Their repatriation follows a five-day Namibian mission to South Africa in July. Representatives included traditional authorities, families, former Robben Island prisoners and heritage officials.

The process has not been a matter of simply digging up two graves and booking flights.

Forensic anthropologist Dr Kavita Lakha led the examination. Specialists documented each stage and assessed the remains before repatriation. They may also use DNA testing if necessary.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE REMAINS NEXT?

Namibia will temporarily house the ancestral remains at the National Museum of Namibia before the state reburial.

The return also forms part of wider cultural restitution between South Africa and Namibia. It follows other recent repatriation efforts involving human remains and heritage objects.

South Africa has been developing a more structured approach to restitution and has endorsed its National Policy on the Repatriation and Restitution of Human Remains and Heritage Objects in 2021.

That matters because human remains are not museum souvenirs. They belonged to people with families, communities and cultural identities.

Minister Gayton McKenzie described the return as an act of restorative justice. He said it allows families and communities to honour their ancestors on their own soil.

After more than 50 years, for Niilenge and Nehale, that soil will soon be Namibian.