Lekota Remembered: COPE co-founder to receive official funeral on Saturday

Cope leader Mosiuoa LekotaFamily, friends and political leaders will gather in Bloemfontein on Saturday, March 14, to pay their final respects to Mosiuoa “Terror” Lekota, the former Defence Minister, COPE founder, and veteran anti-apartheid activist. Family, friends and political leaders will gather in Bloemfontein on Saturday, March 14, to pay their final respects to Mosiuoa “Terror” Lekota, the former Defence Minister, COPE founder, and veteran anti-apartheid activist. Family, friends and fellow politicians will say their final goodbyes to the late former Minister of Defence and Congress of the People (COPE) leader,Mosiuoa “Terror” Lekota, who will be buried with a Special Official Funeral Category 2 on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that Lekota would be honoured with a Special Official Funeral, recognising his decades of service to the nation. “Lekota served South Africa as a struggle activist, inaugural Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), Premier of the Free State, Minister of Defence, and co-founder of COPE,” Ramaphosa said. Lekota’s death was confirmed by COPE last week, following a brief period of illness.

Scores of mourners, including political leaders and activists, gathered at the Regina Mundi Catholic Church in Soweto on Wednesday to pay their last respects. The memorial service was filled with reflections on Lekota’s immense contributions to South Africa’s struggle for freedom.