Windhoek: President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has paid tribute to heroes of the liberation struggle, in remembrance of the Cassinga massacre, that happened on 04 May 1978, in Angola. ‘Cassinga Day is a stark reminder of the cruelty of the apartheid South African occupation regime. It was on this day that innocent refugees, mostly women and children, were viciously and inhumanely attacked by a minority regime intent on crushing the will of our people,’ she said in a statement released on Sunday.
According to Namibia Press Agency, the Cassinga massacre was a South African airborne attack on a Swapo military camp. The attack, instead of breaking their spirit, Nandi-Ndaitwah stressed, strengthened the resolve of liberation fighters to fight for justice, dignity and independence.
In her statement, Nandi-Ndaitwah also paid homage to the Founding President, Sam Nujoma, who she stressed led the liberation movement with unwavering determination from the formation of SWAPO in 1960 until 2007. ‘Under his visionary leadership, before and after independence, our struggle advanced from resistance to nationhood. May he, along with all our brave fallen comrades, be eternally remembered for their courage, sacrifices and selfless service to the Namibian people,’ she said.
Nujoma died on 08 February 2025. ‘In memory of the Cassinga martyrs, we must redouble our efforts to implement the Swapo Party election manifesto and its implementation plan at all levels of governance for the next five years. We undertake to transform our society, improve the quality of lives of our people, and fulfil the promises of the revolution,’ Nandi-Ndaitwah said.