The Minister of International Relations and Trade, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, commended the government for its collaboration with Angola to erect a memorial shrine in that country in remembrance of those who died in the Cassinga massacre.

Hundreds of lives were lost on the morning of May 4th, 1978, and many were left injured.

In an interview with Inside The Chambers, the minister said it is important to remember those who lost their lives during the massacre, not only Namibians but also those who showed support for the country's liberation struggle.

"I think what the government has done is commendable, at least memorialising or immortalising the memory of the Namibians who have perished in Cassinga. And mind you, it is not only Namibians, because when the bombs were falling, they were also indiscriminate. These were civilians, and we were living in a village inhabited by Angolans. Their lands were destroyed, their crops, and I want to believe that some of them also died."

Ashipala-Musavyi said lives lost in the massacre should not be in vain, and the best way to honour them is to make sure that the country succeeds in terms of social and economic development.

"Remembering Cassinga is part of us, is part of our history, is part of what we owe to those we have sacrificed for this country, and is part of paying tribute to the war veterans. It should be a day of rededication to building our nation, to strengthening our unity, and to remembering where we come from."