The government doesn’t yet know how much it will cost to rebury the remains of Khoe and San ancestors or to bring home the remains of freedom fighters who died in exile, but minister of sport, arts and culture Gayton McKenzie says the cost doesn't matter.

“It can't cost enough because people gave their lives. You can't put a cost to a life,” McKenzie said during a media briefing on Monday.

McKenzie announced two major national projects: the reburial of 58 ancestral remains from the Khoe and San communities and the next phase of the Exile Repatriation Project, both backed by the government of national unity.

“These are not just projects — they are acts of justice, remembrance and healing.

“They affirm our government's commitment to restore dignity, promote cultural restoration and confront the painful legacy of apartheid. These initiatives are about re-humanisation. They are spiritual but, most importantly, they are necessary,” he said.

McKenzie said the 58 ancestral remains originating from the Northern Cape would be reburied in consultation with affected communities, including the Nama, Griqua, Korana, and San. 

The process was being led by the Iziko Museums, the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) and a local task team.

“It is not just about returning the remains to the soil. It is about restoring dignity. It is about fulfilling cultural and spiritual obligations. It is about healing the deep wounds of dispossession and, most importantly, historical erasure,” he said.

He also confirmed talks with the Ontarian Museum at the University of Glasgow to return Mokoi and San remains.

“Our people are all over the world, and this government is caring enough to say, 'go get the remains of our people'. We call on all institutions, both here and abroad, to engage in honest and active driven processes of restitution and repatriation,” McKenzie said.

He said last year the government had repatriated 45 “heroes” and the programme was continuing, with instructions that it be sped up.

McKenzie urged the public to assist by sharing names, photos or any information about missing exiles.

He confirmed that families are being kept up to date on what is happening, and there are programmes in place where families can visit the sites where the deaths occurred.

McKenzie said in Angola there were locations they couldn’t access due to landmines. However, they were in communication with a company in Australia that had the technology to assist.

Madeleine Fullard, head of the NPA's missing persons task team, said the team and the National Prosecuting Authority were a core part of the technical team working on the project. 

“We delegate tasks, we all have areas of expertise, some in research, some in planning the forensic work and the recovery. For example, in Angola we have worked on compiling a database of 400 names and we work together with that — and we jointly discuss the practicalities of planning the first, what we call Phase 2, which is grave mapping, that is going to take place in Angola shortly. And we are beginning the process of consulting with families.” 

She said they have already made contact with about a quarter of the families whose loved ones are believed to have died in Angola. 

McKenzie said the second initiative is the continuation of the Exile Repatriation Project. 

“Thousands of our people went into exile during the liberation struggle. Many never came home. Some died unknown, buried in unmarked graves, without their families having the chance to mourn,” he said.

The project was about bringing the freedom fighters home. 

“It is a moral duty. We are doing no family a favour. It is a duty, a moral one. It's a national responsibility. These were people who gave everything for our liberation. Everybody in this room and everybody watching, we owe those families a great debt of gratitude” he said.