Mashatile honours Mosiuoa Lekota as a giant who carried the torch of freedom

Mourners gathered in Bloemfontein on Saturday to bid farewell to struggle veteran Mosiuoa Lekota, remembered as a towering figure in South Africa’s liberation struggle whose life was defined by service, conviction and an unwavering commitment to justice.

Delivering the eulogy, Deputy President Paul Mashatile described Lekota as a giant whose political journey spanned some of the most defining chapters of the country’s modern history.

“Today we gather as a nation united in grief, remembrance and gratitude to bid farewell to a towering figure of our liberation struggle and the democratic state,” Mashatile said.

Mashatile said Lekota’s political journey traversed the ideological awakening of black consciousness, the activism of the United Democratic Front (UDF), leadership roles within the ANC and later the founding of the Congress of the People (Cope).

“His life was lived in pursuit of a better South Africa, marked always by honesty, integrity and courage,” Mashatile said.

Lekota understood that leaders are transient “but the congress, as an ideal of unity and justice, is eternal. He knew that the measure of a leader is not how long he holds office, but how faithfully he serves the covenant of congress…”

Lekota carried that torch with unyielding fidelity. “He stood as proof that while names may fade from ballots, the congress ideal remains a beacon of unity, a compass of justice and hope for the people.”

Mashatile said Lekota believed leadership was rooted in service. “For him, democracy was never a distant set of rules; it was a living instrument to transform the lives of ordinary people.

“He dedicated himself to ensuring that the Constitution became a shield for the vulnerable and a bridge across the chasm of inequality.”

Lekota’s activism began in the 1970s through the South African Students’ Organisation, where he worked alongside leaders such as Steve Biko and Barney Pityana to advance black consciousness.

“His imprisonment on Robben Island, alongside former president Nelson Mandela, deepened his conviction that freedom was non-negotiable. From his youth through the UDF, the infamous treason trial of Delmas and into government, his journey was marked by sacrifice and service.”

Lekota later helped build democratic governance structures. As the first premier of the Free State, he stepped into a province “scarred by apartheid and laid the foundation of a united, non-racial government.

“He was instrumental in forming the provincial administration and embarking on a long journey to build a government that served all citizens.”

He later served as chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) and as minister of defence under former president Thabo Mbeki, where he “carried the burden of leadership with dignity.

“He envisioned a defence force, not as an instrument of repression, but as a guardian of democracy and peace – a vision that continues to guide us even today.

“In guiding the defence force, Lekota ensured that the instruments of war became guardians of peace, transforming them into protectors of democracy, still in its infancy.

His vision was clear, Mashatile said, that the strength of a nation lies not in its weapons, but in its ability to reconcile and to heal.

Reconciliation remained central to Lekota’s philosophy. “He strongly believed that reconciliation was not weakness but strength. Peace was not the absence of struggle but the triumph of justice.

“He reminded us that democracy is not a gift, but a responsibility; a constant refrain that challenges each generation to guard and nurture it.”

Mashatile recalled Lekota’s discipline during the turbulent years of student activism. “He would arrive at meetings with nothing but a notebook in his hand and conviction in his voice. He would listen carefully, then rise with calm authority and remind everyone that our struggle is not for ourselves; it is for the generations to come.”

Lekota, he said, carried the vision of a South Africa that is “non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and united”.

Throughout his life, Lekota remained committed to the principles of the Freedom Charter.

“He held steadfast to the ideals of the ANC, Bill of Rights and the 1955 Freedom Charter that South Africa belongs to all who live in it black and white.”

He also praised Lekota’s ability to work across political divides. “In moments of heated debate, he was never swayed by partisanship or personal gain. Instead he returned again and again to the charter’s call for unity, equality and shared belonging.”

It was this commitment, Mashatile said, that made Lekota both a defender of constitutional democracy and a reconciler. He was “a leader who could listen and reason and who could remind us that our democracy is strongest when it embraces diversity of thought while holding fast to the principles that unite us”.

Lekota’s passing during Human Rights Month, ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Constitution, called for reflection on South Africa’s democratic progress. “His passing compels us to ask ourselves whether we are living up to the promise of the rights and freedoms for which he laboured.”

This question demands deep introspection and honest reflection, Mashatile noted. “It is a question that causes us to measure our progress, not by ceremony and speeches alone, but by the lived reality of dignity, equality and justice in the daily lives of our citizens.”

While acknowledging progress since 1994, Mashatile said the country still faced profound challenges.

“Indeed, we have walked far since 1994 but we cannot yet claim to have arrived. How can we say we have arrived when there is a child who has met every requirement for a degree but still stands on the verge of opportunity with no employment? How can we say we have arrived when there is gender-based violence that remains one of South Africa’s most devastating and persistent human rights violations?”

Inequality and unemployment remained barriers to fulfilling the promise of democracy.

“Progress without opportunity is incomplete, freedom without dignity is unfinished and justice without inclusion is unfulfilled.”

Mashatile said Lekota’s contribution to democracy was indelible. “His hand is evident in the triumph of universal suffrage; in the expansion of housing and healthcare; in the opening of classrooms and the provision of social grants. These achievements are the bricks and mortar of dignity and the lifelines of hope for our people.”

The deputy president described Lekota as a leader whose authority came from integrity rather than position. Lekota was a leader “whose moral authority flowed not from office but from service. Not from title but from trust. Not from privilege; but from the people.

“His life reminds us that true leadership is not measured by titles but by values upheld and trust earned.”

Lekota believed political freedom must be accompanied by social and economic justice. “In all his endeavours, he was determined to create opportunities for every child to learn, for every worker to earn a decent living and for every family to live with dignity.

“He believed that education was the key for breaking the cycle of poverty, that skills development was the bridge to employment and that empowering the youth was the surest way to secure their future.”

Lekota was known, too, for speaking honestly even when it came at great political cost.

“Lekota was a man who told the truth, even when it was uncomfortable. He did not chase popular acclaim; he chased justice. His integrity was not for sale, nor was his commitment to the downtrodden found wavering.”

Mashatile said Lekota consistently warned against corruption and inequality. “He was clear that corruption robs the poor, inequality divides the nation and unemployment steals hope.

“He challenged us to confront these realities with honesty and courage and to govern not for ourselves but for the millions who look to democracy as a promise of a better life.”

Concluding his eulogy, Mashatile said that Lekota believed reconciliation remained essential for South Africa’s future. 

“Perhaps, his most profound contribution was his belief that a nation divided by the atrocities of apartheid could not prosper without profound healing. He understood that wounds of our past were deep emotional, psychological and physical yet he believed in the power of reconciliation, not as forgetting but as facing the truth to lance the boil of hatred.”

While his death had left a profound void, Mashatile said his legacy would endure. “While his departure leaves a void, his legacy as a committed freedom fighter who sacrificed his own freedom for ours will never be forgotten.”