SANDF (File)


Johannesburg - Former Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) commander, Lieutenant General Lehlohonolo Moloi, has died, the department of defence and military veterans said on Friday.

"Up until the time of his passing, he still remained active in the structures and activities of military veterans," the department's director general, Tsepe Motumi, said in a statement.

"The department passes its condolences to the entire family, the veterans' community and South Africa at large."

Moloi, 81, served in the department's medals committee, which is tasked with honouring and preserving the heritage of military veterans.

"He was part of the team which ensured the honouring of the first generation of MK commanders, culminating in the three medal parades hosted during 2012."

The recipients of medals at the parades included former presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki, President Jacob Zuma, Rivonia triallists and members of the Luthuli Detachment, to which he belonged, the department said.

Exile

Moloi attended school in Soweto until 1963 when he left the country to join MK, the armed wing of the African National Congress.

He served as an MK commander the entire time he was there.

Moloi worked in the operations department which was responsible for the deployment and the preparation of members to infiltrate the country.

He went to Lesotho, where he lived in exile, and worked there with the former SA Communist Party general secretary Chris Hani, until he was transferred to Lusaka, Zambia in the early 1980s.

"On his return to South Africa, he played a major role in the negotiations to ensure that MK members were integrated into the SA National Defence Force, which he joined as a senior officer."

Moloi will be given a full military funeral in Gauteng on 3 January.

With acknowledgement to Sapa and News24.

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