Popo Molefe | |
|---|---|
| 1stPremier of North West | |
| In office 1994 (1994) – 2004 (2004) | |
| Preceded by | New position |
| Succeeded by | Molewa, B.E.E. |
| Chairman of the board ofPetroSA | |
| In office 2002–2010 | |
| Preceded by | New position |
| Succeeded by | Mokaba, A.M.B. |
| Chairman of the board ofPRASA | |
| In office 2014–2017 | |
| Preceded by | Buthelezi, S. |
| Succeeded by | Kweyama, K. |
| Chairman of the board ofTransnet | |
| In office 2018 – in office | |
| Preceded by | Mabaso, L |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Popo Simon Molefe (1952-04-26)26 April 1952 (age 73) |
| Political party | African National Congress |
| Spouse(s) | Plaatjie, B. |
Popo Simon MolefeOLS (born 26 April 1952) is a businessman and former politician fromSouth Africa.
One of eight children, Molefe was the son of a laborer and adomestic worker, though he was raised largely by one of his aunts, Sanah Tsatsimpe.[1]: 192 He attendedNaledi High School in Soweto.[2]: 192 He became involved in political activism as a student, joining theBlack People's Convention in 1973, and theSouth African Students' Movement in 1974.[1]: 192 While a member of the latter organization, he participated in theSoweto Uprising of 1976.[1]: 192
Molefe is a member of theMethodist Church of South Africa.[citation needed]
Molefe was one of the founding members of theAzanian People's Organization at its formation in 1978 and became the first chairman of the Soweto branch in 1979.[1]: 193 He left the group in 1981 as a result of a dispute over the role of white Africans in the anti-apartheid movement, and the following year he became one of theCommittee of Ten within theSoweto Civic Organization,[1]: 193 serving in that capacity until 1984. He also was involved with the founding of theUnited Democratic Front in January 1983.[1]: 193 In August 1983, he became the UDF's National General-Secretary.[1]: 194
Molefe was arrested on several occasions as a result of his political activities. A 1985 arrest resulted in three years of detention without bail, followed by court proceedings in theDelmas Treason Trial.[3] At the end of that trial, Molefe was one of eleven men convicted of anti-apartheid activities, and he drew a prison sentence of ten years from Judge van Dijkhorst, the second-longest sentence among the men convicted.[3] His sentence was overturned by theSupreme Court of South Africa in 1989.
Following his release from prison, Molefe became a member of the newly-legalizedAfrican National Congress. After advancing through various party offices, he becamePremier of theNorth West Province in 1994. He held this position until April 2004, when he resigned from politics citing a desire to tend to his "personal health and family".[4]
Molefe was married to Boitumelo "Tumi" Plaatje, with whom he had four children. The couple divorced in 2003, after she alleged that he had molested his ten-year-old daughter.[8] Molefe denied the accusations, and attributed them to what he termed Plaatje's "unstable history of making false allegations".[9] Police investigated Plaatje's claim but declined to prosecute, citing a lack of sufficient evidence.[9]