South Africa: COPE Founder Terror Lekota Dies At 77

By Celani Sikhakhane

Lekota founded COPE in 2008 after leaving the ANC, and died at his home in the early hours of Wednesday.

COPE interim leader Teboho Loate confirmed Lekota's death and said he will be laid to rest in his hometown Bloemfontein.

Mosiuoa "Terror" Lekota, the founder of the Congress of the People (COPE), died at his home in the early hours of Wednesday. He was 77 years old.

Lekota had been battling ill-health for the past year, spending time in and out of hospital. Six months ago, he stepped back from active politics to focus on his health.

COPE then appointed Teboho Loate as interim leader until the party's next elective conference, scheduled for next month.

Loate confirmed the news on Wednesday. "I want to confirm the sad news of our president Ntate Lekota around 3am. We are meeting with the family to confirm what the next steps are," he said.

Lekota will be laid to rest in his hometown of Bloemfontein.

He left the ANC in 2008 following internal divisions in the party and founded COPE. When he resigned, the ANC stripped him of his struggle credentials by removing his name from a stadium in Clairmont, west of Durban, that had been named after him to honour his activism against apartheid.

ANC eThekwini Region chairperson John Mchunu removed Lekota's name from the stadium.

In the 2009 national elections, COPE won 1.3 million votes, cutting into the ANC's support. But the party's fortunes declined, and by 2024 COPE had lost all representation in Parliament.

Lekota earned the nickname "Terror" in the 1960s in Matatiela, where he was a fearsome soccer striker. He also served as premier of the Free State and as minister of defence under former president Thabo Mbeki.

He was arrested during apartheid while preparing to marry his wife, Cynthia Shange-Lekota. The two got married at Pretoria Prison.

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