JOHANNESBURG - Colleagues of Mosiuoa Lekota are mourning his passing.
The 77-year-old died at a Johannesburg hospital on Wednesday morning after a long illness.
He later left the ANC and co-founded the Congress of the People, known as COPE, together with Mbhazima Shilowa in 2008.
Former COPE deputy president Willy Madisha said Lekota contributed a lot to the struggle to liberate the people of South Africa.
"It's unfortunate, really, that he goes at this stage after he had contributed a lot, really, to the freedom of the people of our country," Madisha said.
"I think history will forever remember him for his contribution."