Media Statement

The African National Congress (ANC) has learned with a deep sense of loss and sadness of the passing of Comrade Kaobitsa “Bushy” Maape, a longstanding member of the movement, former Premier of the North West Province, freedom fighter, uMkhonto we Sizwe operative, and former Robben Island political prisoner. Comrade Maape dedicated his life to the struggle for liberation, the advancement of the people of South Africa, and the empowerment of communities through education, serving the movement with discipline, humility, and unwavering commitment throughout his life.

Comrade Maape was recruited into the underground structures of the ANC during the apartheid era and became an operative within the liberation movement. In 1986, he was imprisoned for his political activities and incarcerated on Robben Island, where he continued pursuing education and intellectual development despite the harsh conditions of apartheid imprisonment. His passion for education remained a defining feature of his life, as he believed deeply in the power of learning to liberate and uplift communities. Following his release, he served the people in various leadership roles, including as Chairperson of the ANC in the Kgalagadi region, senior government official in the North West Province, and Premier of the North West Province from 2021 to 2024.

The ANC dips its revolutionary banner in honour of Comrade Bushy Maape and extends its heartfelt condolences to the Maape family, his comrades, friends, and the people of the North West Province. His life remains a testament to a generation of cadres who sacrificed greatly for freedom, democracy, education, and development in South Africa and yet are not in formal leadership structures. May his revolutionary soul rest in eternal peace.

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