The 79-year-old activist and poet is being remembered for his contribution to the arts and the liberation of South Africa from the apartheid regime.

JOHANNESBURG - Tributes are pouring in for the late Keorapetse Kgositsile who died at Milpark Hospital on Wednesday afternoon.

The 79-year-old activist and poet is being remembered for his contribution to the arts and the liberation of South Africa from the apartheid regime.

Friends say he was a generous man, sharing his skill and wisdom with all.

Poet and social activist Lebo Mashile says she would not be who she is today had it not been for the influence of literary icon Kgositsile who died earlier on Wednesday.

Having lived in exile, Kgositsile left an indelible mark in the lives of those met locally and abroad.

Revolutionary poets from the United States “The Last Poets” say they got their name from one of Kgositsile’s poems about the apartheid struggle called “Towards A Walk in The Sun”.

Mashile says the national poet laureate used his art to connect people.

“My heart is heavy but at the same time, it’s full. Kgositsile’s work expands continents.”

The ANC in Gauteng has described him as a literary giant, freedom fighter and progressive cultural activist.