Hundreds of mourners packed the Old Grey Sports Club in Bloemfontein, for the Special Official Funeral Category 2 of former Defence Minister and COPE co-founder, Mosioua Lekota.
The 77-year-old Lekota passed away last week at a Johannesburg hospital following an illness.
Some of the dignitaries included former presidents Thabo Mbeki, Kgalema Motlanthe, current and former cabinet ministers, who served with Lekota during his tenure as the minister, and members of the Free State provincial legislature.
Delivering the eulogy on behalf of President Cyril Ramaphosa, Deputy President Paul Mashatile described Lekota as a giant whose life was defined by uncompromising dedication to justice and service to the people.
“For him, democracy was never a distant set of rules; it was a living instrument to transform the lives of ordinary citizens.
He dedicated himself to ensuring that the Constitution became a shield for the vulnerable and a bridge across the chasm of inequality.
He remained an outspoken voice, reminding all of us that democracy requires vigilance and principled leadership,” said Mashatile.
Lekota’s political activism began in the 1970s with the South African Students’ Organisation (SASO), where he championed Black Consciousness and the liberation of oppressed communities.
He was later arrested and imprisoned on Robben Island alongside Nelson Mandela, and other struggle stalwarts.
Upon his release he joined the United Democratic Front and was again arrested on terrorism charges in the infamous Delmas Treason Trial.
After the 1994 political dispensation, Lekota was elected the first Premier of the Free State between 1994 and 1996, later became the inaugural chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, and served as Minister of Defence from 1999 to 2008.
According to Mashatile, Lekota had a difficult task of helping to transform the Defence Force, to become a guardian of democracy and peace.
“In guiding the Defence Force, the former minister ensured that the instruments of war became guardians of peace, transforming them into protectors of a democracy still in its infancy.
His vision was clear: that the strength of a nation lies not in its weapons, but in its ability to reconcile, to heal, and to live in harmony,” explained Mashatile.
The Deputy President also acknowledged the late Lekota as a principled leader who remained steadfast in his pursuit of justice and service to the people.
“Ntate Lekota was a man who told the truth, even when it was uncomfortable.
He did not chase popular acclaim; he chased justice.
His integrity was not for sale, nor was his commitment to the downtrodden found wavering.
He believed that the true measure of our liberation was not in the opulence of the few but in the dignity of the poor,” remarked Mashatile.
Lekota left the ANC in 2008 to form COPE, after accusing the ruling party of “abandoning democratic principles, fostering corruption, and targeting him for opposing this shift.”
Meanwhile, COPE interim leader, Teboho Loate, and ANC Secretary General, also paid tribute to Lekota.
