BLOEMFONTEIN – In political circles, Mosiuoa Gerard Patrick Lekota was described as a contrarian and conscience-driven politician. Those who truly understood his political consciousness agreed that Lekota, famously known as “Terror”, was the Champion of the Constitution and the Rule of Law, and these underpinned his political legacy.
He firmly believed these principles were the bedrock of South African democracy. In Parliament, Lekota boldly challenged the ruling party – the ANC – often emphasising that South Africa’s constitutional democracy is legitimate and that the Constitution is the supreme law. He firmly argued that government actions ought to comply with the Constitution rather than political party interests.
During robust debates in Parliament, Lekota would ask: “And what about the rule of law and the Constitution of South Africa as a country?”
Paying tribute to its steward, the Congress of the People Youth Movement (COPEYM) attests to having learned fundamental lessons about the Constitution.
“For many of us in the younger generation, one lesson from his leadership remains unforgettable. In moments when political debates drifted toward expediency or short-term calculation, Ntate Lekota would pause and ask a simple but powerful question: ‘But what about the Constitution?’
“Throughout his decades in public office, Lekota distinguished himself as a leader firmly anchored in constitutionalism, accountability and ethical governance. For him, this was never rhetorical. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa was not merely a legal text to be invoked when convenient. It was the moral compass of our democratic project – a covenant between the state and its citizens, and a safeguard ensuring that power is exercised with accountability, restraint, and respect for human dignity.”
Born in Kroonstad on 13 August 1948, Lekota was the eldest of seven children in a working-class family.
In her tribute, Free State Premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae acknowledged Lekota’s steadfast advocacy and ethical leadership in his lifetime.
“He made outspoken allegations of corruption within his own ranks, a stand for which he paid a political price, but which later vindicated his foresight and integrity.”
The incumbent premier hailed Lekota’s immense contribution during his tenure as Free State premier from 1994 to 1997, and his steadfast character that resulted in laying a solid foundation for democracy.
“He took the reins of a province scarred by apartheid and began the painstaking work of building a unified, non-racial government from the ground up. His tenure was about building the very foundations of our democracy, often at great personal cost. He laid the cornerstone of our provincial administration, championing reconciliation and initiating the long walk to establish a government that served all its people.
“He taught us that leadership means standing on principle, even when it is difficult. As we mourn this monumental loss, we also celebrate a life of profound purpose. His footsteps as our first premier marked the path for all of us who followed. May his courageous soul rest in eternal peace,” said Letsoha-Mathae.
The Thabo Mbeki Foundation hailed Lekota as a courageous and selfless leader.
“There are lives so fully given to a cause that when they end, one feels the tremor in the foundations of the house they helped to build. Such was the life of Mosiuoa Lekota. His life was the very embodiment of selfless dedication to freeing his people from the yoke of apartheid oppression. It can be said without fear of contradiction that our victory over that brutal system would not have been possible without the unwavering commitment of indispensable patriots like him.”
The Foundation further quoted the German playwright and poet Bertolt Brecht to describe Lekota.
” ‘There are those who struggle for an hour and that is good. There are others who struggle for a year, and they are better. There are those who struggle many years, and they are better still. But there are those who struggle all their lives: these are the indispensable ones.’
“This quotation perfectly captures the life and times of “Terror” Lekota. He belongs to that rare category of individuals who gave absolutely everything to the struggle of the South African people.
“As we navigate the contemporary complexities of the democracy he bled to secure, we must resist the temptation to consign his legacy to the archives of history.
“To appropriately honour Lekota is to actively defend the democratic institutions he helped birth. We are challenged to ensure that the ‘potential for progress’ he envisioned in the dark of his cell translates into tangible dignity and economic inclusion for all South Africans today.”
Roy Jankielsohn, leader of the DA in the Free State, remembers Lekota for his firm decisions in leadership roles in government.
“Lekota was a gentleman and politician who will be remembered for his lifelong and unwavering quest to build a non-racial and inclusive constitutional democracy in South Africa.
“Lekota’s legacy of Ubuntu is visible through the political tolerance, communal consensus-seeking and humility that he embraced and that are still valued in the Free State,” said Jankielsohn.
Lekota will be honoured with a Special Official Funeral Category 2 on Saturday 14 March in Bloemfontein, and a memorial service will be held on Thursday 12 March in the Bloemfontein City Hall, from 12:00 to 15:00.
Also read: A giant tree has fallen: Struggle stalwart Terror Lekota dies at 77
