Dr Pule Elias Matjoa, the last surviving member of Nelson Mandela’s 12 Disciples, was laid to rest in Bloemfontein on 9 May after passing away on 1 May at age 88. Tributes highlighted his roles as an uMkhonto we Sizwe combatant and pioneer in Free State dentistry.
Dr Matjoa died in Bloemfontein at the age of 88. He had served as a combatant in uMkhonto we Sizwe and guarded Cuba’s coastlines during exile.
ANC Free State Chairperson Mxolisi Dukwana addressed mourners at the funeral. He urged political leaders to honour Matjoa by prioritising ethical leadership and recalled how the deceased joined the armed struggle after mobilisation by Nelson Mandela.
Neighbour Dr Nepo Masithela described Matjoa as a supportive brother figure who offered empathy during times of grief. Former colleague Dr Teboho Makenete credited Matjoa’s diplomacy with securing the first orthodontist services at Pelonomi Hospital and specialist training programmes for dentists in the province.
The ANC Veterans League remembered him as a symbol of service without spectacle and called for national unity at this critical time.
