Elias Motsoaledi
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Elias Motsoaledi (July 26, 1924 – May 9, 1994) was one of the eight men sentenced to life imprisonment at the Rivonia Trial.
The third of eight children, he was born in Nebo, Sekhukuneland. Mr. Motsoaledi moved to Johannesburg at the age of 17 in search of work. He soon became involved with trade unions, and later played an active role in the establishment of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU).
A lifelong member of the SACP and the ANC, he played a central role in many campaigns, including the Defiance Campaign of 1952, the year he was first banned. Detained during the 1960 State of Emergency, he was imprisoned for four months. When he was released, he went underground and worked for Umkhonto we Sizwe. After 26 years on Robben Island, Motsoaledi was elected to the National Executive Committee of the ANC.
Motsoaledi received an Isitwalandwe Medal on January 8, 1992 along with Oliver Tambo, Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Helen Joseph, Ahmed Kathrada, Harry Gwala, Andrew Mlangeni, Raymond Mhlaba, and Wilton Mkwayi. He died on the day that Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the President of South Africa.
