Dept welcomes plans to return skeletons to NC

THE NORTHERN Cape Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (NCDSAC) has welcomed plans by the University of Cape Town to repatriate and rebury nine skeletons to their descendants in Sutherland.

According to reports from the university, the skeletons have been in UCT’s possession after they were dug up by a farmer from the farm Kruisrivier in the Sutherland municipal area in 1927.

“It is reported that the remains which were dug from nine local graves were received by an unknown professor at the university. They are counted amongst those from eleven graves which were unethically obtained by the institution. Nine are said to be from the Sutherland area with eight coming from the Stuurman and Abrahams families. Their deaths date back from between 1815 and 1913. It is unclear whether they were used by the university for teaching or research purposes,” spokesperson for the NCDSAC, Morapedi Sekhoane, said.

He added that the NCDSAC applauded the university for starting the repatriation process and hoped that other institutions housing similar material would follow suit.

“We would, however, as the department, impress upon the university to carry out the reburial process with the dignity and respect it deserves. The department will be seeking a formal engagement with the university where other interested stakeholders, including the deceased’s families and provincial traditional leadership will guide the process. The department remains the custodians of arts, culture, heritage, museums including geographic name changes in the Province and any process leading to name changes as requested by the deceased families should be guided by legislation. The department has mandated its Namakwa district office to lead any task team to be established for the project and identify a suitable date for repatriation and reburial of the remains. The university is also urged to work together with the South African Heritage Resources Agency in ensuring compliance with the necessary legislation,” Sekhoane concluded.