The plan to repatriate the humanremains of David Stuurman from Sydney in Australia was anticipated to be realised during this month of April when South Africa celebrates its twentyyears of democracy on the 27th April 2014. The National HeritageCouncil which was facilitating the repatriation convened a meeting with therepresentatives of the Khoi and San people today on 24 April 2014 at the South End Museum in Port Elizabeth to give a status report of the project.
 
The NHC acknowledges that the project has taken a long time in planning and consultation with various stakeholders including families, Khoisan representatives, Government and researchers. The progress that was made by the NHC and the stakeholders is satisfactory even though it is not what was expected. The stakeholders also understood that it is the nature of such complex projects that involve multiple stakeholders, extensive research and diplomatic interactions with other countries which is Australia in this case.
 
“We are grateful for the understanding of the National Khoi and San Council that the spiritual repatriation of Stuurman should be postponed to a later date. The commitment of government through the NHC to this project as a process of healing remains unchanged,” says Advocate Sonwabile Mancotywa, CEO of the NHC, who was leading the meeting.
 
Among the achievements that havebeen made to date is to place the Stuurman project as a nationally significant, secure the involvement of the Department of Arts and Culture, the research contribution by the Australian government, the assistance from the Department of International relations and Corporation. A research of the actual origin of Stuurman was also determined through a research wherein the Khoisan participated and agreed that it is along the Gamtoos River in the Eastern Cape.
 
The challenge at the moment is to find the required funding for the project which will include the construction of monuments in South Africa and Australia. The commitment from government and the reprioritisation of the repatriation of South Africans abroad ushers renewed anticipation that Stuurman will return to South Africa soon.
 
The project steering committee which consist of the National Khoi and San Council (NK&SC), Researchers, the Department of Arts and Culture, Government entities in heritage and international relations and facilitated by the National Heritage Council (NHC), reached an agreement to allow further work to be done around raising the required funds for the project. The finer details of the repatriation will be refined and be adjusted to the available resources. It was also agreed that the repatriation can only happen after the elections of 7 May. A team has been established to review the plan in preparation for a meeting between the NHC and the national Department of Arts and Culture to include in their planning for the year.