Windhoek: President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has expressed deep sorrow following the passing of Lazarus !Guiteb, a veteran of Namibia's liberation struggle and Robben Island prisoner, who died on 15 July 2025 at the age of 83. !Guiteb was a long-serving member of SWAPO and a prominent figure in the internal resistance movement against apartheid.

According to Namibia Press Agency, in a statement issued by the Presidency on Saturday, Nandi-Ndaitwah praised !Guiteb for his unwavering commitment to Namibia's freedom. 'I have learned with deep sadness about the passing of Comrade Lazarus !Guiteb, a dedicated freedom fighter who made enormous sacrifices for the liberation of his motherland,' she said.

She recalled his imprisonment on Robben Island, where he endured harsh treatment alongside liberation icons such as Herman Andimba Toivo ya Toivo and Eliazer Tuhadeleni. 'As we honour his memory, we celebrate a life spent in pursuit of justice, unity, and progress for all Namibians,' she added.

President Nandi-Ndaitwah further extended her condolences to the family and comrades, noting that his fearless activism and passion for justice would be remembered for generations to come.