Popo Molefe
Encyclopedia
Popo Simon Molefe is a South Africa
n politician, and the former Premier of the North West Province.
One of eight children, Molefe was the son of a laborer and a domestic worker
, though he was raised largely by one of his aunts. He became involved in political activism as a student, joining the Black People's Convention
in 1973, and the South African Students' Movement in 1974. While a member of the latter organization, he participated in the Soweto Uprising of 1976.
Molefe was one of the founding members of the Azanian People's Organization at its formation in 1978. He left the group in 1981 as a result of a dispute over the role of white Africans in the anti-apartheid movement, and the following year he became one of the "Council of Ten" within the Soweto Civic Organization, serving in that capacity until 1984. He also was involved with the founding of the United Democratic Front
in 1983.
Molefe was arrested on several occasions as a result of his political activities. A 1985 arrest resulted in three years of detention without bail, followed by court proceedings in the Delmas Treason Trial
. At the end of that trial, Molefe was one of eleven men convicted of anti-apartheid activities, and he drew a prison sentence of ten years from judge Kees van Dijkhorst, the second-longest sentence among the men convicted. His sentence was overturned by the Supreme Court of South Africa
in 1989. Following his release from prison, Molefe became a member of the newly-legalized African National Congress
. He advanced through various party offices, and then in 1994 he achieved the office of Premier of the North West Province, and office he held until April 2004. At the time of his resignation, he cited a desire to tend to his "personal health and family" as a motivation for leaving politics. That July, he joined the Anooraq Resources Corporation, a platinum
mining and exploration company, as co-nonexecutive chairperson. In August 2004, Molefe accepted a position as Chancellor of North-West University
.
Molefe was married to Boitumelo "Tumi" Plaatje, with whom he had four children. The couple divorced in 2003, after she alleged that he had molested his ten-year-old daughter. Molefe denied the accusations, and attributed them to what he termed Plaatje's "unstable history of making false allegations". Police investigated Plaatje's claim but declined to prosecute, citing a lack of sufficient evidence.
Molefe is a member of the Methodist Church of South Africa.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n politician, and the former Premier of the North West Province.
One of eight children, Molefe was the son of a laborer and a domestic worker
Domestic worker
A domestic worker is a man, woman or child who works within the employer's household. Domestic workers perform a variety of household services for an individual or a family, from providing care for children and elderly dependents to cleaning and household maintenance, known as housekeeping...
, though he was raised largely by one of his aunts. He became involved in political activism as a student, joining the Black People's Convention
Black People's Convention
The Black People's Convention was founded at the end of 1972 as the Nationalist Liberatory Flagship of the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa.The BCM was a product of three historicultural and ideological imperatives:...
in 1973, and the South African Students' Movement in 1974. While a member of the latter organization, he participated in the Soweto Uprising of 1976.
Molefe was one of the founding members of the Azanian People's Organization at its formation in 1978. He left the group in 1981 as a result of a dispute over the role of white Africans in the anti-apartheid movement, and the following year he became one of the "Council of Ten" within the Soweto Civic Organization, serving in that capacity until 1984. He also was involved with the founding of the United Democratic Front
United Democratic Front (South Africa)
The United Democratic Front was one of the most important anti-apartheid organisations of the 1980s. The non-racial coalition of about 400 civic, church, students', workers' and other organisations was formed in 1983, initially to fight the just-introduced idea of the Tricameral Parliament The...
in 1983.
Molefe was arrested on several occasions as a result of his political activities. A 1985 arrest resulted in three years of detention without bail, followed by court proceedings in the Delmas Treason Trial
Delmas Treason Trial
The Delmas Treason Trial in South Africa was the prosecution of 22 anti-apartheid activists under security laws, with the intention of suppressing the United Democratic Front . The defendants included three senior UDF leaders, Frank Chikane, Mosiuoa Lekota and Popo Molefe, known as the "Big Three"...
. At the end of that trial, Molefe was one of eleven men convicted of anti-apartheid activities, and he drew a prison sentence of ten years from judge Kees van Dijkhorst, the second-longest sentence among the men convicted. His sentence was overturned by the Supreme Court of South Africa
Supreme Court of South Africa
The Supreme Court of South Africa was a superior court of law in South Africa from 1910 to 1996. It was made up of various provincial and local divisions with jurisdiction over specific geographical areas, and an Appellate Division which was the highest appellate court in the country...
in 1989. Following his release from prison, Molefe became a member of the newly-legalized African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
. He advanced through various party offices, and then in 1994 he achieved the office of Premier of the North West Province, and office he held until April 2004. At the time of his resignation, he cited a desire to tend to his "personal health and family" as a motivation for leaving politics. That July, he joined the Anooraq Resources Corporation, a platinum
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...
mining and exploration company, as co-nonexecutive chairperson. In August 2004, Molefe accepted a position as Chancellor of North-West University
North-West University
The North-West University is a newly merged institution from 1 January 2004 onwards with four campuses at Potchefstroom, Mafikeng, Vanderbijlpark and Mankwe. The Potchefstroom Campus is the largest, and the head office of the University is situated at this location...
.
Molefe was married to Boitumelo "Tumi" Plaatje, with whom he had four children. The couple divorced in 2003, after she alleged that he had molested his ten-year-old daughter. Molefe denied the accusations, and attributed them to what he termed Plaatje's "unstable history of making false allegations". Police investigated Plaatje's claim but declined to prosecute, citing a lack of sufficient evidence.
Molefe is a member of the Methodist Church of South Africa.