ANC’s General Ike Maphoto passes away

He died at his home in Bendor at the age of 88 years old, Polokwane Review reports.

Isaac Lesiba Maphotho (Bra Ike) was born in Ga-Makgato (Blouberg Municipality) on 26 February 1931.

He completed his Standard 6 (Grade Eight) at Uitkyk Secondary School in 1952. Maphotho left his home towards the end of 1952 to search for employment in Pretoria. He found a job at the City Council, working in the Department of Native Affairs,

Bra Ike joined the African National Congress (ANC) and soon became an active member. His area of political operation was Atteridgeville, Benoni where he soon became recognised as a strong and principled political leader. He was one of the first recruits of Umkhonto We Sizwe (MK), which was established in December 1961.

Through the ANC, Maphotho became involved in underground activities before he left the country for Dar es Salaam on 28 February 1961.

In 1962, the ANC sent him to the Beirut International School from where he returned to Dar es Salaam in 1963.

In the same year, he was sent for military training in the former Soviet Union as part of the Luthuli Detachment.’