Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za

05 March 2026

1-minute read

South Africa loses yet another struggle hero with the passing of Mosiuoa Terror Lekota, who, after suffering from a long illness, succumbed in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

COPE’s Teboho Loate says that “Lekota has left a vacuum that is going to be difficult to fill.” The struggle stalwart was the founding member of the COPE party and remained at its helm and is being hailed as “one of South Africa’s finest struggle heroes”.

His role in the struggle for democracy and his association with the fight against apartheid, his involvement in the UDM, and the legacy he leaves in COPE with his excellence and guidance will never be forgotten.

Lekota’s focus was always on “our people,” he was a forerunner in the fight against corruption, wanting every South African to partake in the fruits of democracy.

Resolute in his belief that the ANC would not be able to rise again after 2007, Mr Lekota was not prepared to look away from the wrongs of the leading party. He chose to step away from the ANC and go on to form COPE, knowing that the ANC “was going off the rails,” derailed from their vision of democracy post 1994.

Teboho emphasizes that the people who left COPE should return to get the party “back on foot,” make a meaningful contribution to the politics of the country, and rebuild the legacy of Mr Mosiuoa Terror Lekota.

Listen to the full interview with Ml Junaid Kharsany and Teboho Loate.