The family of the veteran Fillemon Nangolo has paid tribute to him ahead of the reburial at the Heroe's Acre tomorrow.

The late "Nduuvu'' Nangolo was born in 1952 at Oshaandjela Village near Ondangwa in the Oshana Region.

He joined the liberation struggle in 1974 and received his military training at Kasapa Military Base, Quando Cubango, in Angola.

Nangolo was deployed at the Northern Front and was later deployed inside the country to sabotage the apartheid regime by working in white people's farms in the areas of Okahandja, Grootfontein, and Tsumeb to capture and mobilise resources for Swapo.

He participated in the bombing of the then Grootfontein and Ruacana Bases.

Following the South African Court's verdict, Nangolo was sentenced to death on charges of terrorism and was hanged on 30 May 1977 in the presence of his mother and the late Christian Amundjindi to instill fear among his family and communities.

The late Nangolo was buried the same day he was hanged by the South African colonial regime at Katutura Cemetery.

His mortal remains were one of those exhumed for a heroes' reburial at Heroe's Acre in Windhoek.

A family member, Nuugulu Teofelus, explained.

“He was a tough but reserved man, and for us as a family, every family has its own Messiah, and for us, it was him. The legacy he left us was one of determination, hard work, and belief in pursuing the causes he believed in. There is no greater reward than having him conferred with hero status and having his remains exhumed and laid to rest where other heroes are resting.”

The late Fillemon Nangolo's childhood friend and fellow combatant John "Tegelela" Iikaku describes the role that Nangolo played during the liberation struggle.

“You would often hear about the AK Banana Magazine, which was the weapon that Nduuvu used in farms in Tsumeb, Otavi, and the area of Otjiwarongo, meaning that many white farmers fled from their farms because of Nangolo Nduuvu.”

The late Nangolo is survived by one child and six siblings.