South Africa continues to mourn the passing of veteran freedom fighter and political leader Mosiuoa
“Terror” Lekota, who died at the age of 77 following a period of illness. Lekota was a towering figure in the country’s liberation struggle, spending years imprisoned on Robben Island for his anti-apartheid
activism before emerging to help shape South Africa’s democratic future. In the years after 1994, he served in several key leadership roles, including as the first Premier of the Free State, Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, and later Minister of Defence. In 2008, he co-founded the Congress of the People after breaking away from the African National Congress, marking a significant moment in post-apartheid political history. As tributes continue to pour in from across the political spectrum, many are remembering Lekota not only as a seasoned politician, but as a man whose life spanned the darkest days of apartheid and the hopeful dawn of democracy.