Former Mayor Dies

Local/17 June 2020, 18:30pm / Sompane Molefi

The late Former Moqhaka Municipality Mayor Jihad Mohapi

Kroonstaad: Former Moqhaka Mayor and ANC MP Jihad Mohapi has passed away. The family confirmed.

Mohapi died on Wednesday morning after a short illness. He had recently buried his son.

He became actively involved in politics when he was doing std 7 now (Grade 9)

Like many pupils Mohapi became involved in the learners politics as a member of the Congress of South African Students (COSAS).

He was seen as a force that was fighting for the dignity of the oppressed. While he was alive he said to the Insider: “At the time we were addressing the plight of black students using student politics of that time.”

being from Maokeng in Kroonstad, Mohapi joined ANC aligned local youth congress which was used to lobby young activists.

I then joined the South African Youth Congress (Maokeng Branch) where I was elected the chairperson of the Arts and Culture help desk where we dealt with all culture related matters.

Just before the unbanning of the ANC in 1990, I became involved in the ‘Release Mandela’ campaign which was spearheaded by the United Democratic Front (UDF) through the Maokeng Democratic Crisis Committee which was the UDF mouthpiece.

During those times we repeatedly embarked on consumer, class and bus boycotts. At one point I participated in a forceful sit-in of Boitumelo Regional Hospital in Kroonstad as the black populace had a challenge with the management of the hospital at that time.” Mohapi told Parliamentary media at the time.

Mohapi was elected as the speaker of Moqhaka Municipality between 2006 -2011 and Executive Mayor between 2011 -2014 respectively.

Mohapi also served as member of National Council of Provinces (NCOP) between 2014-2019 NCOP.

He is the former member of the ANC Fezile Dabi Region Executive Committee.