The reburial of eight liberation struggle veterans is an act of restorative justice and a powerful reminder of the shared history between Namibia and South Africa.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and South Africa's Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angelina Motshekga paid tribute to both the fallen heroes and the families who waited decades for their return.
The President formally received the remains at Heroes' Acre before laying a wreath at the Eternal Flame.
The ceremony brought together families, traditional leaders, government officials and representatives of South Africa to honour those who sacrificed for Namibia's independence.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah described the reburial as more than the movement of human remains, saying it restores dignity and reunites the fallen with the land for which they sacrificed.
"It is the restoration of dignity. It is the reunion of the departed with the land and the people for whom they sacrificed. It's a nation saying to those sons of the soil, you are home. Your sacrifice is remembered. Your place in our history is secure."
The President thanked the Namibian delegation, the Namibian Air Force and the South African government for their cooperation in bringing the remains home.
The President also urged schools, universities, museums and the media to preserve and teach Namibia's liberation history.
"The highest tribute, fellow Namibians, we can pay to these heroes is not only to say their names but also to build the Namibia for which they struggled. A Namibia in which every citizen lives in dignity, where opportunities are broadened, where poverty is defeated, where justice is protected, and where our unity remains strong."
South Africa's Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Angelina Motshekga, described the reburial as an act of justice and a reflection of the historical bonds between the two countries.
"So this solemn burial is not only an act of remembrance, but it is also an act of justice. It is a statement to enduring bonds between Namibia and South Africa, two nations whose histories are intertwined by struggle, solidarity and sacrifice."
Motshekga said the two countries must ensure that the sacrifices of liberation heroes remain part of the history taught to future generations.
"I do think, Madam President, our president calls you his sister. I'll communicate the message, but I think it is true that we really register through the Truth and Reconciliation, for some of these generals who might know the truth are getting old and are dying themselves. And that's our biggest fear also as South Africa, that some of them are going to die with the truth."
The reburial brings to a close one chapter in the long journey of Nehale and Niilenge, while honouring six other veterans whose sacrifices remain part of Namibia's liberation history.