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Mosiuoa Lekota, former ANC chairperson and COPE leader, dies at 77; tributes from Motlanthe

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South Africa
March 10, 2026 (Updated: March 10, 2026) 2 min read 1 source 0 Center Positive AI Assisted
Mosiuoa Lekota, former ANC chairperson and COPE leader, dies at 77; tributes from Motlanthe
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TheWkly Analysis

Former president Kgalema Motlanthe says the late Congress of the People (COPE, a South African political party founded in 2008 by defectors from the ANC) leader, Mosiuoa Lekota, dedicated his life to South Africa. Lekota, who once served as ANC (African National Congress, South Africa's ruling political party since 1994) national chairperson, later left the ruling party to form his own party. He died in a hospital in Midrand in Johannesburg last week at the age of 77. Motlanthe, who worked with Lekota in the Congress Movement, says the outpouring messages of condolences are a testament that Lekota continued to engage with members of the ANC even though he had left the party. “Condolences to the family friends, colleagues of Mosiuoa, I wish them more strength in this difficult time. His young boy Kotane now has to assume responsibility leading the family,” says Motlanthe. As tributes pour in, the Bakoena ba Mopeli Royal House says Lekota, who was the first premier of the Free State, will always be honoured for establishing the House of Traditional Leaders in the province.

Multiple perspectives analyzed from 0 sources
What this means for you:
  • Lekota's son Kotane must now lead the family, taking on new responsibilities amid grief.
  • Bakoena ba Mopeli Royal House members continue honoring Lekota's legacy through the House of Traditional Leaders he founded.
  • COPE party colleagues and ANC members lose a figure who maintained engagement across party lines.

Key Entities

  • Mosiuoa Lekota Person

    South African politician who served as ANC national chairperson, Free State premier, and founded COPE after leaving ANC.

  • Kgalema Motlanthe Person

    Former South African president who praised Lekota's dedication and noted his ongoing ANC ties.

  • Congress of the People (COPE) Organization

    Political party formed by Lekota and other ANC defectors in 2008 as opposition to the ruling ANC.

  • African National Congress (ANC) Organization

    South Africa's ruling political party since the end of apartheid, from which Lekota split to form COPE.

  • House of Traditional Leaders Organization

    Provincial body in Free State established by Lekota to integrate traditional leadership into governance.

Multi-Perspective Analysis

Left-Leaning View

Frames Lekota as a lifelong patriot whose party splits were principled stands against ANC corruption, emphasizing unity and tributes as progressive reconciliation.

Centrist View

Highlights factual biography, cross-party respect, and institutional contributions without partisan judgment, focusing on national service.

Right-Leaning View

Views Lekota's ANC departure and COPE formation as evidence of ruling party failures, portraying him as a principled dissenter against state dominance.

Source & Verification

Source: SABC News RSS

Status: AI Processed

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