Statement

(Nom de guerre: Patrick Makaya)
(Largely compiled from an interview with the late General on 18 November 2022)

Background

A student activist; a guerilla commander; a freedom fighter; a strategist; an intellectual and an army General, Keith Matila Mokoape, departed for the Great Beyond on 16 January 2025 at the age of 77. His parents, Simon Moemise Mokwape and Matlhodi Elizabeth Mokwape (born Mosetlhe) lived on a 2-hecatre farm in Wallmansthal, Northern Transvaal (Limpopo) from the late 1800s. His father was a clerk at a Jewish firm in Johannesburg. He also performed tasks as a lay preacher. His mother was a domestic worker in Yeoville, JHB. The piece of land that his father owned had fruit trees and a water well. This was in the area known to the locals as Dinokeng, as it was sandwiched by two rivers, the Elands River and the Pienaars River. They planted maize and vegetables. They were reasonably prosperous, living off the land.

They were five siblings in the family: four brothers and one sister. The first son, Walter,

was born in 1926. He was a school inspector and later president of the Soweto

Chamber of Commerce. The second son, George, was a builder and a

draftsman. The third son, Aubrey was born in 1944 and became a Medical

Doctor The last born son, Keith, was a BSc graduate born on 1 July 1947. Their only

sister, Barbara, who was born in 1950, became a teacher. As they were growing up,

Aubrey went to live with the eldest brother, Walter, in Mofolo, Soweto. When he

finished his primary school, Keith went to live with the second one, George, in

Atteridgeville, Pretoria, to start JC at Lady Selbourne in 1962. Barbara remained with

their mother.

During the Sharpeville massacre in 1960, Aubrey was the youngest member of the

Mofolo branch of the PAC. That branch was headed by Robert Sobukwe himself. At

Keith’s primary school during morning assembly, the principal asked all the students

who were gathered there to pray for the people who were shot dead by the police, in

cold blood, on 21 March.2

Aubrey was among the people who were arrested and locked up at Fort Prison (No.

4). A crowd stormed the prison with the intention to free those who were arrested. As

the police shut the doors on their faces, Simon Moemise Mokoape placed his hand at

the edge of the door, trying to stop it from closing. The police slammed the door and

injured his four fingers. He went back to Wallmansthal for the weekend with a

bandaged hand, to announce to the family that Aubrey had been arrested. That was

the first time that, at the age of 13, Keith Mokoape got conscientised about the

apartheid system.

Keith Mokoape commuted daily from Atteridgeville to Lady Selbourne High

School. During his third year in 1964, Lady Selbourne was declared a black spot in a

white area. Africans were forcefully removed to Garankuwa; Soshanguve and

Hamanskraal. He then went to complete his matric at Jan Hofmeyer High School in

Atteridgeville. He wanted to do Medicine but decided to enroll for a Bsc at Turfloop

first, since there were stringent entry requirements for Africans at medical school.

Thus, he did his Bsc at Turfloop during the years 1968/69/70.

Activism at medical school

He then enrolled for medical studies at the University of Natal (Black Section) as it

was then known. Having majored in Zoology and Botany at Turfloop, he was admitted

straight into the second year of Medicine in 1971. He became very active in student

politics on his arrival at medical school. Mokoape described the medical school as a

crucible of Black Consciousness. He joined the South African Students Organisation,

SASO, where he found student activists such as Steve Biko; Aubrey Mokoape;

Mamphela Ramphele; Joel Matsipa and many others. During the September 1971

Students Representative Council (SRC) elections, Keith Mokoape was voted

president. Although he was new at medical school, he was seen as a fearless fighter

with a vision. He also became Chairman of the SASO Local Committee.

In the shortest possible time, he radicalized student politics. There was a tradition

where, at the beginning of the year, money was collected for a freshers’ ball. In

February 1972, Mokoape decided that the time for dancing was over. There would be

no freshers’ ball. The money would be used to mark Heroes’ Day or Sharpeville on3

21 March 1972 on the football grounds of the university. Leaflets were printed and

distributed throughout Durban inviting people to the commemoration.

The SRC spoke to the bus drivers to deliver the crowds to the occasion, free of

charge. This became the biggest Sharpeville commemoration event ever seen in

Durban. The police began to watch the SRC and SASO. When an Indian activist,

Mewa Ramgobin, was detained in Durban, Mokoape decided that the revolutionary

forces would not be intimidated. SASO organised a joint protest meeting with the

Natal Indian Congress. Thus, Mokoape became a target of police raids at night.

Veering towards the armed struggle

Four of the activists, Keith Mokoape; Atie Shabalala; Makhwezi Mtulu and Malebo

Malebo began to feel that they were above student politics. It was time to explore

other options. At the General Students Council of SASO at St Peter’s Seminary,

Hammanskraal, in July 1972, Mokoape mobilised Terror Lekota to second a motion

that SASO had to adopt the armed struggle. Mokoape said Steve Biko castigated

them, saying those who thought they were above student politics, should rather join

the Black People’s Convention. The General Council resolved that a SASO branch

be established in the Transkei. Showing confidence in Mokoape’s organisational

skills, the Council mandated Mokoape and Ralph Mgijima to carry out this task. They

travelled to Mthatha where they were received by a group that included Loyiso

Mpumlwana and Malusi Mpumlwana. Mokoape and Mgijima addressed a gathering

at St John’s College, Mthatha. Hereafter, Mokoape returned to the Transvaal while

Mgijima remained behind. This was the same year that Africans were forcefully

removed from Wallmansthal. Keith’s father, Simon, had passed away in 1969. His

wife, Elizabeth and their last born, Barbara, faced the humiliation and the trauma of

land disposession and removal from Wallmansthal to Themba Township in

Hammanskraal. Keith was further alienated as this was the second forced removal he

experienced, after Lady Selbourne.

On the night of 5 September 1972, Keith Mokoape; Atie Shabalala; Makhwezi Mtulu

and Malebo Malebo crossed the Groot Marico River into Botswana, seeking military

training abroad. They arrived in Francistown where they met Jerry Mbuli who was the

ANC Representative to Botswana. On Christmas Day 1972, they were joined by

Gwaza Twalo whom they had left behind at medical school.4

They got to Lusaka by mid 1973 where the ANC leadership persuaded them to go to

school as they said the camps were closed. They refused as they were clear that they

wanted to undergo military training.

The Bryntirion Unit

Military training was finally arranged for them at Luangwa Game Reserve, Zambia.

This was situated east of Zambia, on the Luangwa River Valley. It was known for

abundant wildlife where the river was crowded with hippos. The training took place

under the command of Isaac Makopo, a veteran of Luthuli Detachment who was

assisted by his colleagues. He doubled up as their Chief of Logistics, driving a Russian

UAZ truck. He also taught them Rural Guerilla Warfare. Their Firearms instructor was

Robert Moema. Bogart was the Explosives instructor. Simon Nkokheli Makana taught

them politics. He was also an expert in Military Combat Work (MCW) on how to form

cells, conceal weapons etc. Ulysses Modise was their Martial Arts instructor. Their

weapons included Tokarev pistols, Carbines and AK-47 assault rifles. When their

training was done, they returned to Lusaka, towards the end of 1974. Mokoape

recalled that one of the lounges where decision makers sat at the Union Buildings was

known as the Bryntirion Lounge. They told themselves that from Luangwa, they would

fight their way to Bryntirion to govern. Thus, they called themselves the Bryntirion

Unit.

Into the frontline

Chris Hani took Gwaza Twalo, Makhwezi Mtulu and Malebo Malebo with him to

Lesotho, saying he wanted them in the belly of the beast. Atie Shabalala (best known

as Sipho Fapla in MK) was held back in Lusaka. As he was deemed to be good in

languages, he was earmarked for Mozambique. After Angola’s independence, he was

deployed in Angola. Keith Mokoape was taken by Isaac Makopo, to be based in

Botswana, earmarked for Western Transvaal. His initial attempt to get into Botswana

via Livingstone and Kazangula did not succeed as he was deported back to

Zambia. He moved to Swaziland in 1975 where he was in touch with various

structures inside the country. He finally got to Gaborone shortly after June 16, 1976,

linking up with the current president of the ANC Veterans’ League, Dr Snuki Zikalala

who had been based in Gaborone since 1974.5

They had a busy time there, processing young people who were arriving almost daily,

either going to school or to seek military training. As author of IF WE MUST DIE,

Stanley Manong puts it, when writing about Mokoape and Zikalala: “When they were

in Botswana, they were involved in every activity of the ANC whether it was receiving

and processing of new ANC recruits from inside the country bound for military training

or schooling abroad or reviving and establishing ANC underground structures inside

the country or planning MK operations. They controlled and mastered almost

everything…”

Keith Mokoape also had a specific mission of recruiting scores of Black

Consciousness activists who were stationed in Botswana, and refusing to join the

ANC. He said he was seen as a sellout as it had been agreed that once people

crossed the border, no one would join the ANC. While there were many who remained

outside the ANC, there were still many who joined it.

Meeting the love of his life

It was during his time in Swaziland in December 1975 that Keith Mokoape met

someone who would end up being the love of his life. Tokyo Sexwale was studying

at the University of Swaziland that year. However, in the course of the year, Tokyo’s

parents received a message from him that he had decided to relocate to Makerere

University in Kampala, Uganda. This got the familiy worried. They wanted to know

what exactly was happening. Consequently, in December 1975, his father, Frank

Sexwale, sent his daughter, Magirly, to Swaziland to investigate. She was

accompanied by her sister-in-law, Bunie, who was married to one of the sons,

Mathabatha. They met Tokyo’s best friend, Hazel, who led them to a house. Magirly

recalls that a heavily bearded man sat in a dark corner of the room. He looked lke

Jonas Savimbi, putting on an unfriendly look. He probably knew where Tokyo was.

She returned home never wishing to see that man again.

Magirly herself finally left the country about August 1976 via Swaziland with a group

that included Tshidi Gugushe; Priscilla Phetla; Sonto Dube; Yvonne Mhlongo and

Granny Ndlovu. They didn’t meet with Keith as he was no longer there. They flew to

Tanzania from where they went to different directions. Magirly went to the German

Democratic Republic at the beginning of 1977. She returned to Angola towards the

middle of 1977. She was informed by Joe Slovo that the Botswana machinery wanted

a female operative to join them. From Gaborone airport she got taken to a village to6

cool off. On 1 July 1977, a man arrived to fetch her to join the underground machinery.

This was the Keith Mokoape of December 1975! Another coincidence was that this

date was Keith’s 30th birthday. What a romantic celebration for Bro Keith! They ended

up tying the knot in Lusaka on 28 November 1979. Magirly would be a pillar of strength

to Keith Mokoape throughout the struggle and beyond.

Exploring other fronts

In 1978, SA Foreign Minister, Pik Botha, told the Botswana government that there

were two ‘terrorist officials’ in Gaborone who oversaw the sending of terrorists and

weapons into SA. Botha told the Botswana government to remove them or else. At

that stage, Mokoape and Zikalala had to leave for Lusaka. They were confident

though, that the Botswana machinery would continue to function.

Keith Mokoape went on to explore the Zimbabwe Front where they got MK to stay with

ZIPRA in the gorges, march through Zimbabwe, heading for the Limpopo River. In

this machinery, Mokoape mentioned General Jabu Nkabinde; General Phako and

Commander Oliver. They managed to bring in a group of close to 100 to the Limpopo

River to cross and operate in Venda.

Thereafter, Mokoape got redeployed to Mozambique where he did work until

operatives were removed after the signing of the Nkomati Accord in 1984. When all

machineries were removed: Special Ops; Natal, Transvaal etc, Mokoape continued to

remain in Mozambique. He had gotten in there, under an assumed name of Antonio

da Soussa.

In 1986, Pik Botha wrote a letter to Joachim Chissano who succeeded Machel as

president. He said 92% of operations happening in South Africa emanated from

Mozambique. He demanded that the following six people leave Mozambique

immediately: Jacob Zuma; Keith Mokoape; Sue Rabkin; Indres Naidoo; Bobby Pillay

and Mohammed ‘Farouk’ Timol. They moved to Zambia.

Keith Mokoape was appointed Deputy Chief of Military Intelligence (MI) under Ronnie

Kasrils. When Kasrils left for Operation Vula, Mokoape automatically became Chief

of MI.

Suspension of the armed struggle7

The ANC announced the suspension of the armed struggle in 1991. Most of the

senior leadership were inside the country. Army Commander, Joe Modise, then

instructed Keith Mokoape to be in charge of MK affairs in exile.

Having studied problems of guerilla demobilisation in Zimbabwe a decade earlier,

Mokoape had to figure out how to manage MK guerillas who were all over Lusaka.

He would not let guerillas idle around simply because they would no longer be involved

in military operations and many other related activities. His idea was that he had to

assist them to acquire other skills in the meantime. He approached Ms Zanele Mbeki

who worked for the United Nations Development Programme in Lusaka to explore

courses that the combatants could do. Mbeki secured 25 spaces at the Lusaka

Cooperative College operated by the Swedish International Development Agency . He

also encouraged Zakes Tolo of the Internal Machinery within Military Heaquarters

(MHQ) in Lusaka to also attend the courses so that they would have valuable skills

when they returned to SA. The neccesity for skills was further amplified by Nelson

Mandela at the MK Conference at the University of Venda in August 1991, when he

indicated that the time had come for MK to look after its own welfare.

Back home

At the dawn of democracy, Keith Mokoape was enlisted into the Reserve Force

component of the South African National Defence Force, attaining the rank of Major

General. He was appointed as the Chief: Army Reserves. Even beyond retirement,

he continued to take keen interest in the welfare of military veterans. He chaired the

South African Reserve Force Council. He was always involved in anything that had to

do with the country’s national security and economic development. In May 2024,

Mokoape attended the Oceans Economy and Security Conference in Cape Town. He

was also involved in an initiative on Disaster Management. In all these conferences

and initiatives, he was trying to identify opportunities that could be exploited by the

military veterans community. Now that he is gone, these programmes will require a

new champion. Mokoape was always willing to impart knowledge and wisdom to the

younger generation. It was always invigorating to be around him, engaging in

intellectually enriching discussions.8

In the Great Beyond, a huge reception awaits. There will be members of the Mokoape

clan; the ANC; the Bryntirion Unit and other guerillas; SASO, the broad spectrum of

struggle icons and other international soilidarity forcces.

Rest in Peace Major-General (Rtd) Keith Matila Mokoape.