Special official funeral for former Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota

President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared that the late former Minister of Defence and leader of Congress of the People (Cope) Mosiuoa Lekota will be honoured with a Special Official Funeral Category 2 in Bloemfontein next Saturday. Lekota served as Defence Minister for nine years between June 1999 and September 2008 under then president Thabo Mbeki. He was among cabinet members who resigned when the ANC recalled Mbeki from office in September 2008, following the ANC’s highly divisive Polokwane conference.

Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said Lekota had served the nation throughout his life, starting as an anti-apartheid activist, the inaugural chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Premier of the Free State, Minister of Defence, and co-founder of Cope. “President Ramaphosa reiterates his deep condolences to the Lekota family, the Congress of the People and Mr Lekota’s comrades and associates across the political spectrum,” he said. Ramaphosa said Lekota was “a patriot, freedom fighter, and servant of the people whose life story is closely intertwined with [South Africa’s] journey of struggle and the realisation of democracy.” Magwenya said the funeral will feature ceremonial elements provided by the South African Police Service and that Ramaphosa has directed that the National Flag be flown at half-mast at all flag stations from Saturday, 7 March 2026, until the evening of the funeral on 14 March 2026.