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Radebe lauds Kotane, Marks for their role in liberating South Africa

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Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe has thanked the families of Moses Kotane and JB Marks for sacrificing their sons in the fight for liberation in the country. The families are at Waterkloof Airbase where the remains of the struggle stalwarts landed just after six this morning from Moscow in Russia.

The repatriation of the remains has been spearheaded by Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa, who together with a high level government, ANC, SACP and Cosatu delegation went to fetch the remains.

Radebe and Minister of Defence Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula are at the Waterkloof Air base outside Pretoria to meet the delegation.

Radebe says, “The works of uncle Kotane are there for everyone to see. His contribution to the struggle is immense and we appreciate the role that he played that’s why Ntate Walter Sisulu called Moses Kotane and JB Marks the giants of the struggle for freedom. The freedoms we take for granted today is because of the towering roles of Moses Kotane and Uncle JB. We thank you for that.”

Deputy Chairperson of the SACP and Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi says the return to home soil of the mortal remains of Moses Kotane and JB Marks will hopefully bring closure to their loved ones.

“For the families and for the friends and communities that have been calling for the repatriation of the mortal remains we trust this brings closure first for the rest of us the SACP and the wider alliance it is an opportunity to reflect on where we come from and learn the wider lessons of history as we try to chart a way forward but these heroes belong to the progressive South Africans so it is.”
The plane carrying the remains of the struggle icons touched down at 6:15 this morning. The plane left the Russian capital, Moscow, on Saturday.

It’s has been a long road to the final arrival of the men’s remains on home soil. It has been a year of negotiations with the Russian government.

This after Moses Kotane’s wife, 103 years-old Rebecca, asked President Jacob Zuma to assist in the repatriation of her late husband after last year’s State of the Nation Address. Kotane and JB Marks were buried at the Novodevichy Cemetary in Moscow since the seventies.

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