Johannesburg - The ANC has sent its condolences to the Mangope family following the death of former Bophuthatswana leader - Kgosi Lucas Mangope.
Mangope died on Thursday. He was 94 years old.
He was a controversial figure and as news spread about his death, many people shared differing perspectives on his legacy.
Mangope lead the Bantustan territory of Bophuthatswana from 1977 till 1994 when he was ousted during negotiations to bring an end to Apartheid.
He did not want his region to be incorporated into the new dispensation and was vocal about his views about the ANC and its leaders.
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He founded the United Christian Democratic Party, but later left the party to join the Democratic Alliance.
The former leader was ousted in a coup in 1988, but was reinstated following the apartheid government’s intervention.
The ANC said although Mangope was against the negotiations for a democratic dispensation led by the ANC, the party had a cordial relationship with controversial leader.
"Although Mangope was an outspoken opponent of the democratisation project in South Africa as led by the ANC, the ANC continued to maintain a tone of respect and willingness to engage in search of a common objective of national liberation and democracy in South Africa," said the ANC in a statement on Friday.
"The African National Congress extends condolences to the Mangope family, their friends and all people who held Mangope in close regard."
Mangope was the Chief of the Motswedi Bahurutshe-boo-Manyane tribe from 1959 when he succeeded his father. He got into active politics in 1971 when became the chief minister of the Bophuthatswana Legislative Assembly.