President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that the repatriation and reburial of 63 Khoi and San remains near Steinkopf in the Northern Cape restores dignity to those unethically exhumed and treated as scientific objects. The ceremony took place on Monday, with remains previously held at the Glasgow Museum in Scotland and in Cape Town.
At a ceremony in Kinderlê near Steinkopf, President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the keynote address on the reburial of 63 remains of Khoi and San people. These individuals had been exhumed unethically, treated as scientific objects, and stored at the Glasgow Museum in Scotland as well as in Cape Town. Ramaphosa described the event as a sacred homecoming for the nation, emphasising the recognition of their humanity through ceremony and reverence. A related video reference mentioned 58 remains, but the main report specifies 63 reburied on Monday, 23 March 2026. In his speech, Ramaphosa highlighted the collaborative effort involved. 'This work cannot be done by the government alone; that’s why I am very pleased that so many of you are here today to come and honour those we are reburying,' he said. 'It requires partnership with traditional leaders, which is why I am very pleased that they are here. It also requires partnership with communities and with scholars, both here and abroad. We recognise that each return is a homecoming, as the remains of our ancestors are received with ceremony, with reverence, and with the full recognition of their humanity.' The president noted the presence of traditional leaders and community members at the event.
