By Mapaballo Borotho
- The funeral service of COPE founder Mosiuao “Terror” Lekota will take place in Bloemfontein on Saturday morning.
- Deputy President Paul Mashatile will deliver the eulogy on behalf of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
- Lekota, a former Defence Minister and anti-apartheid activist, died at the age of 77 after a prolonged illness.
The funeral service of the founder and leader of the Congress of the People (COPE), Mosiuao Terror Lekota, is expected to get underway in Bloemfontein on Saturday morning.
Family, friends and political leaders will gather at the Old Grey Sports Center to pay their final respects to the former Defence Minister.
The 77-year-old died in a Johannesburg hospital last week following a prolonged illness.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile is set to deliver the eulogy on behalf of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Ramaphosa honoured Lekota with a Special Official Category 2 funeral for his contribution to the country’s democracy.
Lekota’s life
Lekota played a significant role in South Africa’s political history and in shaping the country’s democracy.
During apartheid he was active in the student movement and spent years imprisoned on Robben Island for anti-apartheid activism.
After the unbanning of liberation movements, he joined the African National Congress (ANC) and served as the first Premier of the Free State and the inaugural chairperson of the National Council of Provinces.
In 2008, he broke away from the ANC and co-founded the Congress of the People, later stepping back from politics due to ill health.
Affectionately known as “Terror”, a nickname from his days as a soccer striker, Lekota is survived by his wife Cynthia and their four children.
Former Presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe are some of those expected to attend the funeral.
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