It is with great sadness that we woke up to the news of the passing of Mosiuoa “Terror” Lekota (“COPE leader Mosiuoa Lekota has died”, March 4). South Africa has lost a principled patriot who genuinely believed in a post-racial South Africa, a nation united not by race but by shared values, constitutionalism and equal opportunity for all.
Lekota loved this country deeply, not in words alone but in conviction and courage. He believed wholeheartedly in a post-apartheid South Africa where opportunity and dignity would not be determined by race but by our shared humanity and constitutional values.
He cautioned that state capture and the erosion of accountability would weaken our democracy, warnings that proved prophetic during the nine wasted years of Jacob Zuma’s government. He chose courage over convenience, principle over popularity, and country over factional politics.
Long before it became fashionable to speak out, Lekota warned South Africans about the dangers posed by Zuma and the corrosive impact of corruption on our democracy. He stood firm when it was difficult, choosing principle over political comfort.
History would prove that his warnings were not without merit. May we honour his legacy not only with words but by continuing the fight for the just, accountable and nonracial South Africa he so passionately believed in.
Thulani Dasa
Khayelitsha
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