Mosiuoa “Terror” Lekota is a name that resonates with South Africa’s turbulent political history. Born on 13 August 1948 in Kroonstad in the Free State, Lekota earned the nickname “Terror” not in politics but on the soccer field. He played with fierceness, tackling without hesitation, a temperament that would define his future in politics.
His life was not quiet, it was defiant. Lekota joined the South African Students’ Organisation in 1971, absorbing Steve Biko’s Black Consciousness philosophy. When organiser Abram Onkgopotse Tiro fled into exile, Lekota stepped forward, embracing leadership and the fight against apartheid.
Terror Lekota’s Political Career
In 1974, after attending celebrations of Mozambique’s independence, he was arrested under the Terrorism Act. The apartheid state called it treason, he called it solidarity. On Robben Island, he spent six years alongside Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu, where he clarified his vision for a non-racial South Africa.
Released in 1982, he plunged into the United Democratic Front and later stood trial in the Delmas Treason Trial. Through the 1980s, he organised, mobilised and endured. By the time the ANC was unbanned in 1990, he was not merely a survivor, he was seasoned. Democracy in 1994 brought responsibility, and Lekota became the first Premier of the Free State, later Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, ANC National Chairperson, and Minister of Defence under Thabo Mbeki.
COPE and the Future of South African Politics
In 2008, after Jacob Zuma’s rise and Mbeki’s recall, Lekota saw an ANC drifting from principle toward populism and patronage. On 16 December 2008, alongside Mbhazima Shilowa, he launched the Congress of the People (COPE), an act of rebellion against the movement that had shaped him. The gamble initially paid off, with COPE winning 1.3 million votes, 7.42% nationally, and 30 parliamentary seats.
Here are some key points about Terror Lekota’s career:
- First Premier of the Free State
- Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces
- ANC National Chairperson
- Minister of Defence under Thabo Mbeki
- Founder of the Congress of the People (COPE)
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