Windhoek: The late Helao Joseph Shityuwete, a key figure in the liberation struggle, former political prisoner on Robben Island, and dedicated advocate for workers' rights, was laid to rest on Sunday at Gammams Cemetery in Pionierspark, Windhoek: President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, along with other national representatives and members of the diplomatic corps, attended a graveside service to honour a key figure in Namibia's independence movement.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Shityuwete, who passed away on 29 August at 92, demonstrated remarkable resilience. His life included enduring the colonial contract labour system in Walvis Bay, joining the Ovamboland People's Organisation (OPO), now Swapo Party, and receiving military training in exile.

He was captured and prosecuted under the Apartheid Terrorism Act, serving 18 years, including two years of pre-trial detention and 16 years on Robben Island alongside anti-apartheid leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Andimba Toivo ya Toivo, and Walter Sisulu.

The weekend's solemn proceedings commenced with a national memorial service at Parliament Gardens on Saturday, where President Nandi-Ndaitwah praised Shityuwete's effective transition from armed resistance to nation-building.

'Shityuwete, like many young people of his time, was among those who decided to say no to the colonial occupation of Namibia by the racist apartheid regime of South Africa. Shityuwete also yearned for education and went to St Mary's Odibo School, where he met comrade Andimba Toivo ya Toivo, who became one of his teachers and later a lifelong comrade,' she remarked.

The president affirmed that their bond, established in youth and proven through adversity, would withstand the harshest periods of colonial oppression.

She noted that Shityuwete engaged in the colonial contract labour system, the sole avenue for young Black males from northern Namibia to access the labour market.

'That is where he experienced first-hand humiliation, exploitation and injustice,' Nandi-Ndaitwah recounted.

Reflecting on past experiences, the president stated that the contract labour system led him to Walvis Bay, where he participated in political activities alongside other workers under the guidance of OPO, which later evolved into Swapo.

'When senior Swapo leaders were banned, restricted and watched, young party activists, including comrade Helao, travelled the difficult routes between northern Namibia and other parts of the country, including Windhoek, carrying messages and helping to keep the movement connected,' she said.

She emphasised that, given the brutality of the apartheid regime, a single intercepted message could be fatal, adding that for individuals like Shityuwete, who were deeply committed to their cause, courage was coupled with discipline and reliability.

She said Shityuwete subsequently left the country to join other Swapo members in exile, where he underwent military training. He later returned to Namibia as part of a generation ready to confront colonial rule directly.

After his release in 1984 and studies in the United Kingdom, Shityuwete returned in 1989 under UN Resolution 435 to assist in the independence movement.

The president noted that, in the post-independence era, Shityuwete transformed his early experiences as a contract labourer into efforts for worker protection. He served as Deputy Director of Human Resources in the new Ministry of Labour and contributed to the landmark Labour Act of 1992.

Later, until his passing he led the Namibian Former Robben Island Political Prisoners Trust supporting the welfare of former prisoners and their families.

During Sunday's graveside service, President Nandi-Ndaitwah recognised the significant sacrifices made by Shityuwete's generation, stating that his contributions established the foundation for a sovereign, democratic Namibia.

'Comrade Shityuwete's life reminds us that true heroes are not defined by the glorification of their achievements but by the enduring impact of their service, sacrifice and character. His legacy will live on through the lives he touched and the values he upheld,' said the president.

Nandi-Ndaitwah said those remaining will continue to build a Namibia that reflects the future Shityuwete envisioned, where every Namibian has an equal opportunity to improve their life, regardless of their birthplace or circumstances.

As the nation honours him as a key figure in the struggle, Jane Shityuwete delivered a poignant tribute to her late husband, highlighting his role as a partner, father, and man over their 40-year marriage.

She recalled him as a dedicated father and an equal partner who defied traditional gender roles by sharing household responsibilities and cooking passionately for his family.

Jane noted that outside their home, Shityuwete was a forward-thinking advocate for social justice and human rights, wearing black every Thursday to protest violence against women.

'Despite enduring brutal torture and 16 years of imprisonment on Robben Island, he never harboured bitterness, always choosing to see the common humanity in everyone he encountered,' she said.

Jane recounted that her love story began with a coin toss in London in 1986. She said she flipped a coin with her colleague Barbara to determine who would interview Shityuwete at the Africa Educational Trust, resulting in her victory.

This initial meeting developed into a 40-year love story.

Jane noted that he consistently embodied his true self, revealing his character through his serenity, strength, fearlessness, stoicism, humour, kindness, and love.

Diplomat and politician Marten Kapewasha recognised Shityuwete as a foundational figure and pioneer of the Southwest Africa Liberation Army (SWALA).

'Shityuwete was sent to Ghana for guerrilla military training by Swapo leadership in 1964 or 1965. Upon his return via Tanzania and Zambia, he served as the secretary of Group 2, which aimed to join the first group at Ongulumbashe in 1966; however, this group was detected and arrested in the Kavango Region,' Kapewasha explained.

'While one member escaped to warn those at Ongulumbashe, and another named Castro allegedly betrayed the group without facing trial, Shityuwete and his fellow Swapo members were tried in Pretoria starting in 1967 under the newly enacted Terrorism Act, which carried the death penalty,' he recalled.

Kapewasha, who met Shityuwete on Robben Island in 1974 after being convicted under the Sabotage Act, remembered Shityuwete's role as an educator, news reader, and analyst for fellow inmates, where he organised younger prisoners to gather news from the refuse dump. He also commended his work in the Namibian Former Robben Island Political Prisoners Trust and expressed gratitude to the president and government for granting Shityuwete a State funeral.

Uahekua Herunga, deputy secretary general of the ruling Swapo Party, highlighted Shityuwete's unwavering commitment as a respected veteran who dedicated his life to Namibia's liberation and development.

'Today we are paying tribute to a man who knew and understood the heroic mission that fate had placed on his shoulders and who indeed shouldered it without looking back. From the contract labour compounds of Walvis Bay to battlefields of the liberation struggle, from the torture chambers of Pretoria to the notorious prison cells of Robben Island and later in the corridors of an independent Namibia,' he remarked.

Herunga stated that Shityuwete significantly contributed to alleviating the hardships faced by the Namibian people under the oppressive apartheid regime of South Africa.