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The Free State Province Government (FSPG) has joined the millions of voices across the country in paying tribute to the fallen struggle icon and its former Premier Mr Mosiuoa Gerard Patrick Lekota (77).
The Free State Premier Ms MaQueen Letsoha- Mathae has described Lekota as a titan of South Africa’s liberation and a foundational architect of its democracy. She said after a long illness, the fearless son of the soil has answered the final call, leaving the nation draped in mourning.
Relating Lekota’s role in the fight for democracy, the Premier said Mr Lekota, born and raised in Kroonstad, was not merely a politician but a living embodiment of the resilient, unyielding spirit of the people of the Free State.
Letsoha-Mathae said Lekota’s journey from the playing fields where he earned the iconic nickname “Terror” to the highest echelons of state was a via dolorosa of sacrifice. He was a young lion of the Black Consciousness Movement, a leader of SASO, and a political prisoner who endured years on Robben Island and the weight of the infamous Delmas Treason Trial, spending a total of approximately fourteen years in prison for his convictions.
“His life was a testament to the price paid for the freedom we enjoy today,” said Letsoha-Mathae.
The Premier in her tribute to the fallen titan said, when the dawn of democracy finally broke in 1994, it was this tested and principled leader whom the people entrusted with the historic responsibility of becoming the first democratically elected Premier of the Free State.
His tenure from 1994 to 1996 was not one of comfort, but of foundational labour. He took the reins of a province scarred by apartheid and began the painstaking work of building a unified, non-racial government from the ground up. He laid the cornerstone of the provincial administration, championing reconciliation and initiating the long walk to establish a government that served all its people.
“His leadership in those formative years shaped the very character of our democracy. It was also a period that demonstrated his unwavering commitment to clean governance; he made outspoken allegations of corruption within his own ranks, a stand for which he paid a political price but which later vindicated his foresight and integrity,” she said.
“Today, the Free State has lost a founding father. Ntate Lekota’s passing is a deep, personal wound to every citizen of this province. Despite his different political views in later life, he was one of us. He rose to become our first Premier, proving that the children of this soil could lead. His tenure was about building the very foundations of our democracy, often at great personal cost.
He taught us that leadership means standing on principle, even when it is difficult. As we mourn this monumental loss, we also celebrate a life of profound purpose. His footsteps as our first Premier marked the path for all of us who followed. May his courageous soul rest in eternal peace”, said Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae, expressing the province’s collective grief with a heavy heart.
Mr Mosiuoa Lekota’s legacy of service to the government and people of South Africa extended far beyond his premiership. He was the inaugural Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) from 1997 to 1999, where he helped establish the upper house of Parliament as a vital forum for provincial interests. For a decade, from 1997 to 2007, he served as the National Chairperson of the ANC, making him one of the most senior figures in the ruling party.
As Minister of Defence from 1999 to 2008, he oversaw the crucial professionalisation and transformation of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), integrating its structures into a constitutional, democratically accountable force. Even after leaving the ANC, he continued to serve as a Member of Parliament until 2024, contributing diligently to the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation.
“The FSPG extends its deepest, most heartfelt condolences to his entire family, mourning in solidarity with the broader political community he helped shape and all South Africans who cherish the democracy for which he sacrificed so much.
We have lost a titan. We have lost a leader. We have lost a beloved son. Hamba kahle, Ntate Lekota. Your watch is over. Your foundational work in our province and your indelible contribution to our nation’s governance are secure. Go well, “Terror” Lekota”, added Premier Letsoha-Mathae.
