President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his deep sadness at the passing of liberation struggle veteran and former Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) President, Dr Ernest “Motsoko” Pheko.
Dr Pheko, aged 94, passed away on Friday.
He was a lawyer, author of 30 books, theologian, academic and historian.
According to a statement by the Presidency, President Ramaphosa has offered his condolences to the family, comrades and associates, both nationally and internationally, of Dr Pheko who formerly served as the PAC Representative to the United Nations and as a Member of Parliament during his distinguished political career.
“With the passing of Motsoko Pheko, we are grateful for the extended lifetime during which this son of Lesotho became a champion of our liberation struggle and fought for the rights of dispossessed and landless people who had endured colonialism and apartheid.
“His diverse qualifications and interests made Motsoko Pheko an invaluable contributor to human development and the intellectual heritage of our nation and that of our continent whose causes and accomplishments were uppermost in his consciousness and activism,” President Ramaphosa said.
As South Africa observes 30 years of freedom, the President said: “We honour all individuals and political traditions who brought about the dispensation in which we live today and to whom we remain indebted.”
“May Motsoko Pheko rest in peace,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za
