Shock waves rippled through political circles this week as news broke of the brutal murder of Dr. Gomolemo Mokae, a towering figure in South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle. The discovery of his decomposed body at his Ga-Rankuwa Zone 1 home north of Pretoria has left comrades, patients, and literary admirers reeling in disbelief. At 64, the “People’s Doctor” was violently silenced – shot in both arms and the chest – an inglorious end for a man who dedicated his life to liberation and healing.
In the stunned aftermath, former freedom fighters and political allies struggled to comprehend how such a principled champion of Black Consciousness could meet such a violent end. Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed that neighbours made the grim discovery, with evidence suggesting Dr Mokae had been dead for several days before being found.
Dr Mokae was no ordinary activist. He emerged as a formidable voice within the Azanian People’s Organization (AZAPO), where he served as national spokesperson, articulating with fierce eloquence the philosophical tenets of Steve Biko’s Black Consciousness Movement. While still a medical student at what is now the Nelson Mandela School of Medicine, Mokae began weaving together the dual threads that would define his life’s work: healing bodies and liberating minds.
After graduating with his MBChB degree, Mokae’s commitment to serving his people manifested in remarkable ways. He completed his internship at the renowned Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto before deliberately establishing his medical practice in a humble shack in Ramogodi outside Brits. When questioned about this choice, his answer revealed the essence of the man: he wanted no separation between himself and the majority who lived in such structures. To him, treating destitute patients without charge wasn’t charity – it was solidarity.
But Mokae’s brilliance refused to be contained within the realm of medicine alone. He was a creative polymath who moved effortlessly between scriptwriting, documentary filmmaking, and literature. His pen produced the television series “Gaabo Motho” (Someone’s Home), a poignant narrative capturing the emotional complexities of freedom fighters returning from exile after the fall of apartheid. His Tswana novel “Masego,” which became required reading for Grade 12 students, brought the fervor and significance of the 1976 Soweto uprising to new generations.
Like his literary hero Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Mokae championed mother-tongue communication as essential to true liberation. This conviction earned him numerous accolades, including the Vista Prestigious, Bertrams V.O., and African Achievers Awards. In 2003, Vista University bestowed upon him an honorary doctorate recognizing both his literary contributions and his role in dismantling apartheid.
Despite his towering achievements, those who knew him speak of a man without pretence. Even as his personal fortunes declined following a debilitating stroke, divorce, and financial hardship in his later years, the dignity with which he carried himself remained undiminished. He survived primarily on royalties from his previous works, his body and mind never fully recovering from illness.
In Dr. Gomolemo Mokae, South Africa has lost not just a political stalwart, but a Renaissance figure who embodied the highest ideals of service and intellectual engagement. His commitment to Black Consciousness wasn’t merely theoretical – he lived it through every patient treated, every word written, and every rand contributed to AZAPO’s struggle.
As the nation awaits funeral arrangements, we bid farewell to a man whose legacy transcends the brutal manner of his passing. Tower, as he was affectionately known, may have fallen, but the ideals he championed – black solidarity, self-sufficiency, and liberation from mental slavery – stand tall.
Rest well, Tower. One nation, one Azania.
Dr Mokae’s funeral will be held on 11 March 2025, Tuesday at the Community Hall, Zone 1, Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria.
