Sello Moloto

Phaswana Cleopus Sello Moloto (born 27 August 1964) is a South African politician and diplomat from Limpopo. He was the second Premier of Limpopo from April 2004 until March 2009. He resigned after defecting from the African National Congress (ANC) to the Congress of the People (COPE).

A pharmacist by training, Moloto entered politics through the anti-apartheid movement. After a brief stint representing the ANC in the Senate from 1994 to 1996, he joined Premier Ngoako Ramatlhodi's Executive Council as Member of the Executive Council for Health and Welfare from 1999 to 2004. During this period, he was also the Provincial Chairperson of the South African Communist Party from 2001 to 2004. He succeeded Moloto as Premier after the 2004 general election.

However, during the latter half of his term, Moloto faced sustained political pressure from Cassel Mathale, Julius Malema, and other provincial politicians who supported Jacob Zuma's bid to succeed Thabo Mbeki as ANC President. Moloto served only one term as ANC Provincial Chairperson, from 2005 to 2008, before Mathale unseated him from that office. His resignation from the premiership and from the ANC was announced on 3 March 2009.

Moloto subsequently served as COPE's candidate for Premier of Limpopo during the 2009 general election. Though not elected as Premier, he returned to the Limpopo Provincial Legislature on the opposition benches as Leader of the Opposition. In April 2011, he resigned again, leaving COPE in order to accept appointment as an ambassador.