Cultural Restitution

December 7, 2019
SOUTH AFRICA
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South Africa

Updated February 2025


Below is a schedule of successful restitutions made by South Africa, together with other South African restitution news, to a country or community of source.  Entries are updated regularly.



February 2025

South Africa's authorities aim to repatriate human remains in the collections of the Horniman and Hunterian Museums, as well as in other European and US collections

Sundayworld.co.za


November 2024

28 Asante gold ornaments and regalia from the collection of AngloGold Ashanti in South Africa are returned to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II

modernghana.com


March 2020

Following the return of most of Zimbabwe's prized soapstone birds, looted by colonialists from Great Zimbabwe during the 19th century, only one remains - in the house of Cecil Rhodes in South Africa

ArtDaily


1981

One year after Zimbabwe's independence, the South African government returns four carved bird sculptures, looted from the ruined city of Great Zimbabwe

IOL News




More News

Cambridge University’s transfer of legal title of Benin artefacts to Nigeria may lead others to do the same

February 14, 2026
This week’s announcement that Cambridge University has transferred legal ownership of its collection of 116 Benin artefacts to Nigeria could be hugely significant

DCMS will review its exclusion of national collections from returning cultural objects on moral grounds

February 4, 2026
Britain’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport has confirmed it will review the exclusion it imposed on national collections that prevents them from returning cultural objects on moral grounds

University of Edinburgh returns six Native American skulls to Muscogee Nation

January 30, 2026
Six Native American skulls, acquired to advance the pseudoscience of phrenology, have been returned by the University of Edinburgh to the Muscogee Nation, a self-governed Native American Tribal Nation