Government cannot yet say when King Hintsa’s remains will be fully repatriated
McKenzie said his department had written to King Ahlangene Vulikhaya Sigcawu to establish whether the kingship wished the exhumation to resume.
Government officials have yet to determine a specific date for the complete repatriation of King Hintsa's remains, according to Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie. The process will depend on consultations with the amaXhosa Kingship, forensic verification of the remains, and negotiations with relevant institutions in the United Kingdom.
McKenzie stated that these factors are beyond his department's control. The timeline hinges on factors outside the department's control. The department can, however, commit to consulting with King Ahlangene Vulikhaya Sigcawu. The current gravesite, located on the Nqabara River in the Eastern Cape, is at risk due to soil erosion.
This has led the Office of King Mpendulo Zwelonke Sigcawu to request exhumation and reburial, along with the construction of a cultural center. McKenzie emphasized that the return and reinterment of the remains will be carried out with respect and cultural sensitivity.
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