President Jacob Zuma will on Sunday, 1 March 2015, join the families of the national liberation struggle stalwarts Mr Moses Kotane and Mr John Beaver (JB) Marks at the Reception Service of their mortal remains at the Waterkloof Air Force Base in Pretoria.

The mortal remains of the struggle stalwarts will return to South Africa on Sunday, 1 March 2015 from Moscow, in the Russian Federation following a repatriation process led by Minister of Arts and Culture, Mr Nathi Mthethwa.

Mr Kotane, the former General Secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the Treasurer-General of the African National Congress (ANC) died in 1978 while Mr Marks, former Chairperson of the SACP and the Treasurer-General of the ANC succumbed to death in 1972. They were both buried in Novodevichy Cemetery in the Russian capital Moscow.

During his working visit to Russian Federation, following his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Zuma announced that the remains of the heroes would be returned home. The President has thanked the government and people of Russia for looking after the remains of our heroes with dignity and diligence for so many decades.

Two weeks ago in his State of the Nation Address on the 12th February 2015, President Zuma announced that Mr Kotane and Mr Marks will be reburied on 14 March and 22 March 2015 in Pella and Venterdsorp respectively in the North West Province.

The reception service will take place as follows:

Date: Sunday, 1 March 2015
Time: 16h00 (Media to arrive at 15h00)
Venue: Waterkloof Airforce Base, Pretoria

Members of the media who will be covering the reception service are requested to apply for accreditation by completing all the required fields in the registration form below.

To register follow the link:  http://www.gcis.gov.za/content/media-registration.

The deadline for the submission of details is tomorrow, Saturday 28 February 2015 at 12pm. The accreditation can be collected at the Waterkloof Air Force Base on Sunday, 01 March 2015 from 10h00.

For accreditation related queries please contact Ishmael Selemale on 061 790 5114 or Obed Makgoale 060 974 0789.

Enquiries:
Mac Maharaj
Cell: 079 879 3203
Email: macmaharaj@icloud.com

Sandile Memela
Cell: 082 800 3750
Email: SandileM@dac.gov.za