Windhoek: President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has expressed sorrow at the death of liberation struggle veteran and labour advocate Helao Joseph Shityuwete, who passed away on Saturday shortly after celebrating his 92nd birthday.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Nandi-Ndaitwah characterised Shityuwete's death as especially significant as it occurred just days after Heroes' Day. 'His passing, only a few days after Namibia commemorated Heroes' Day on 26 August, is particularly poignant. On that day, our nation honoured the brave men and women who sacrificed for our freedom. Comrade Shityuwete belonged to that distinguished generation of patriots whose courage and selflessness shaped the course of our history,' she said.
Shityuwete, a former prisoner of Robben Island who opposed colonial oppression, is remembered as a notable son of the soil and a lifelong advocate for workers' rights. The president said despite enduring severe imprisonment and hardship, Shityuwete's spirit remained unbroken, and his belief in a free Namibia never faltered.
After the liberation struggle, Shityuwete continued to serve the nation through writing and advocating for labour rights, playing a crucial role in documenting Namibia's liberation history for future generations. She highlighted that while his passing signifies the conclusion of an extraordinary chapter in the nation's history, the values he championed and the freedom he fought for will endure as his lasting legacy.
Shityuwete's political journey commenced in 1959 as a contract labourer at the Walvis Bay docks and an early member of the Ovamboland People's Organisation (OPO). He travelled to Angola with leaders such as Jakob Kuhangwa and guide Eliaser "Kaxumba Kandola" Tuhadeleni.
In 1964, after evading arrest, he fled to Tanzania for military training and returned in 1966 as a commander in the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN). Shortly after, he was captured by the South African police and detained for two years, facing trial under the 1967 Terrorism Act alongside 32 other freedom fighters. In 1968, he received a 20-year sentence on Robben Island, sharing space with prominent anti-apartheid figures including Andimba Toivo ya Toivo, Jerry Ekandjo, John Pandeni, Nelson Mandela, and Walter Sisulu.
Upon his release on 07 May 1984, Shityuwete pursued higher education at the University of Birmingham in 1985. He returned to Namibia in 1989 for the Constituent Assembly process. After independence, he served as Deputy Director of Human Resources in the Ministry of Labour until 1996.