South Africa Seeks Families of Exiles Buried in Angola

The Angola phase of the Exile Repatriation Programme was officially launched in Pretoria after Cabinet approved the initiative in March 2026.

The South African government has launched a nationwide appeal for families whose relatives died, disappeared or were buried in Angola during the liberation struggle to come forward and register for the Exile Repatriation Programme. The initiative, led by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) and the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA), is designed to help recover, identify and return the remains of South Africans who lost their lives in exile while fighting for the country's freedom.

New Phase Focuses on Angola

The Angola phase of the Exile Repatriation Programme was officially launched in Pretoria after Cabinet approved the initiative in March 2026. The programme forms part of the government's Five-Year Exile Repatriation Plan and follows the Memorandum of Understanding signed between South Africa and Angola in December 2024 under the Roads to Independence: African Liberation Heritage Programme.

The project also fulfils recommendations made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which called on government to continue tracing people who disappeared for political reasons between 1960 and 1994.

Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie said the programme is about giving families answers after decades of uncertainty and restoring dignity to those who sacrificed their lives during the struggle against apartheid.

Hundreds of Burial Sites Identified

Government has identified more than 400 possible burial sites across different parts of Angola, making it the largest known concentration of South Africans who died in exile. Recovery operations remain challenging because many graves are unmarked or overgrown, while difficult terrain, landmines, deteriorated remains and limited historical records add to the complexity of the work.

McKenzie acknowledged that even with advanced forensic techniques and DNA analysis, some remains may never be recovered or positively identified. Despite these challenges, government remains committed to continuing the search and helping as many families as possible find closure.

Families Encouraged to Register

Applications are now open for families seeking the exhumation, forensic identification and repatriation of relatives who died in exile in Angola. The programme is available to all South African families, regardless of political affiliation or organisational membership.

Families can submit applications through the SAHRA Exile Repatriation Portal or receive assistance by telephone, at SAHRA offices, Freedom Park, provincial Department of Sport, Arts and Culture offices or through military veterans' structures. Support will be provided in the applicant's preferred language.

Government also confirmed that where physical remains cannot be recovered, families will be offered the opportunity for spiritual repatriation so they can still honour and remember their loved ones.

A National Duty to Honour Liberation Heroes

Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga described the programme as an important national responsibility to recognise those who gave their lives for South Africa's democracy. She said every recovery mission requires close cooperation between South African and Angolan authorities, alongside forensic experts working in difficult conditions.

Motshekga urged families to come forward, explaining that every testimony, historical document and DNA sample increases the chances of identifying another liberation hero and returning them to their family after decades of uncertainty.