OvaHerero descendants in South Africa have petitioned South African president Cyril Ramaphosa to support their calls for justice, reparations and historical redress over the genocides committed by Imperial Germany between 1904 and 1908.
The petition, dated 2 October and seen by The Namibian calls on the South African government to publicly support the OvaHerero and Nama peoples’ demands and recognise that the consequences of the atrocities extend beyond Namibia’s borders.
This comes as the OvaHerero Traditional Authority held a genocide day commemoration in Pretoria on Friday.
“Thousands of OvaHerero and Nama people were killed during Germany’s extermination campaign, which began with general Lothar von Trotha’s 1904 extermination order against the OvaHerero,” reads the petition.
The petitioners say descendants of genocide victims continue to experience the effects of land dispossession, forced displacement, economic marginalisation and cultural disruption.
They also highlight South Africa’s historical ties with the OvaHerero, saying survivors fleeing the genocide found refuge among communities and traditional leaders across the Orange River.
The petition also recalls cooperation between OvaHerero leaders and the African National Congress (ANC), including paramount chief Hosea Kutako’s 1946 appeal to ANC leader AB Xuma for support at the United Nations.
The descendants say these historical ties provide a basis for South Africa to support their pursuit of reparations and justice.
