South Africa's long-serving former defence minister and former Robben Island prisoner dies

South Africa's former defence minister and anti-apartheid campaigner Mosiuoa Lekota has died at the age of 77.

He played a key role in the struggle against the racist system of apartheid and was imprisoned on Robben Island alongside former President Nelson Mandela.

Lekota went on to become chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC) but broke away to form a rival party, the Congress of the People (Cope), citing allegations of corruption in the party which has led South Africa since 1994.

He died after a "period of illness", Cope said in a statement.

President Cyril Ramaphosa paid tribute to the "freedom fighter and a servant of the people".

"His life was one of resilience, courage, and steadfast belief in justice," Ramaphosa said in a statement.

Lekota was one of South Africa's longest-serving ministers, heading the defence ministry for a decade between 1998-2008.

He also served as the chairperson of the ANC for a decade and was the first premier of the newly-established Free State province after 1994, when South Africa entered the democratic era.

Lekota, nicknamed "Terror" due to his prowess on the football field, left the ANC in 2008 shortly after former South African President Thabo Mbeki was removed by the party.

Among his reasons for leaving was disillusionment with how the ANC was governing and mounting allegations of corruption against some of its senior leaders.

He founded Cope in 2008 alongside another former ANC leader Mbhazima Shilowa, who also left after Mbeki's exit.

The party did well in the general elections held a year later, gaining 30 seats in parliament, but its electoral fortunes declined over the years mainly due to a leadership battle between Lekota and Shilowa. By the 2024 elections, Cope failed to secure enough votes to have any seats in parliament.

Last August, Lekota stepped back from public office because of his health. At the time, his party confirmed that he was receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness.

Additional reporting by Pumza Fihlani in Johannesburg