Helao Shityuwete spent 18 years imprisoned in South Africa, 16 of them on Robben Island. After his release, he moved to the UK, where he met his wife, Jane, who describes him as unwavering in his pursuit of equality and justice.

Jane often calls her husband a true gentleman, noting that his years of captivity didn’t harden him. Instead, they deepened his commitment to social justice.

The couple has two children, Tuli and Freddie. Behind his public persona as a fierce freedom fighter and labor expert, Shityuwete is, above all, a devoted father.

He shared a close bond with the late Andimba Toivo ya Toivo, having spent years together on Robben Island. Jane says Shityuwete remains deeply concerned about the violence against women and children in Namibia.

After retiring in 1996, Shityuwete turned his focus to supporting his fellow former Robben Islanders. He served as the national coordinator of the Namibia Former Robben Island Political Prisoners Trust, while ya Toivo was the chairperson.

In addition, Shityuwete worked as a consultant with various NGOs and was active in the Namibia/Angola Friendship Association, The Tulipamwe Trust, and the PEACE organization. His work included research on the psychological impact of imprisonment on ex-combatants and former prisoners.