The North West Provincial Legislature is saddened by the passing on of Hon Zachariah Alpheus Mahlomola Molotsi after a short illness at Garden Court Hospital in Johannesburg. He was admitted at Victoria Hospital in Mahikeng on April, 1, 2013 and was later transferred to Garden Court Hospital on April, 3, 2013 where he was treated until his untimely death this morning, Thursday, 11 April 2013.
Hon Molotsi was sworn in as a Member of the Provincial Legislature on 19 February 2011 and was appointed the Whip of the African National Congress (ANC) in the Legislature on the 01st March 2011. He was also the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Petitions.
The late Hon Molotsi, born on 19 January 1953, had a rich history in participating in the struggle for the liberation of this country from apartheid colonialism. He joined the ANC in 1975 and uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) in 1976 and was deployed as Chief of Logistics at Kibaxe and later Pango camps in Angola.
He was then given the responsibility of recruiting members of MK around the then Bophuthatswana and Johannesburg, through Botswana borders. He worked with the late Lawrence Ndzanga who died in detention in 1977.
Hon Molotsi stayed in Botswana until a group of comrades, including the current Premier of the North West, Hon Thandi Modise joined them there after they had burnt the then Bophuthatswana Parliament. They left the country to join other members of the ANC and then moved to Tanzania in 1976 and then to Angola in 1977 where they got their first military training.
He was sent to the then Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Russia) for further military training as a company commander specialising in Topography. He came back to the country in 1980 and later operated in the Transvaal Urban Warfare under Lt. General Siphiwe Nyanda.
Hon Molotsi was later arrested in 1983 charged with high treason and sentenced to 18 years imprisonment in Robben Island. In Robben Island he was moved from the open section to the B section where he was placed with the likes of Oom Govan Mbeki, Naledi Ntsiki, Jeffrey Legwale, Tokyo Sexwale, Aaron Motswaledi and others. He was later released in 1991 when the negotiations between the National Party government and the ANC started at CODESA.
After his release in 1991 he was deployed as the regional commander of uMkhonto we Sizwe in the PWV region. In 1993 he went back to Ghana for further military training and came back on the eve of the 1994 elections and was later integrated in the South African National Defence Force. In 2000 – 2003 he became an administrator of uMkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association at Luthuli House.
Hon Molotsi did his High School education at Robben Island Adult School and later enrolled with the University of South Africa for a Bachelor of Commerce Degree, but was released before completing it.
As the North West Provincial Legislature we dip our banners in memory of this gallant fighter for our people’s liberation and a distinguished revolutionary. We would like to convey our sincere and deepest condolences to his wife, Rose, the entire family and his political home, the African National Congress.
May his soul rest in peace!
For more information contact:
Namhla Luhabe
Deputy Manager - Communications
Cell: 079 527 0628
Tel: 018 392 7000
Fax: 086 695 3784
Email: namhla@nwpl.org.za
