South Africa :Winnie Mandela the anti-apartheid activist Dies at 81

Former First Lady of South Africa, politician and anti-apartheid activist,Winnie Mandela died on Monday 2nd April 2018.She died at the Netcare Hospital in Johannesburg after a protracted illness.

Winnie Mandela is reported to have suffered from diabetes and was regularly at the hospital since the start of 2018.In a statement to CNN, the family spokesperson Victor Dlamini said ” Her death came as a shock to the family. None of us had predicted this.she died peacefully surrounded by her family and loved ones in the early hours of Monday afternoon “.

Winnie Madikizela Mandela was the wife of former South African President and anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela.They were married for 38 years and had two daughters.

A profile of the anti-Apartheid Activist

Winnie was born in 1936 on the Eastern Cape province Nomzamo. As a social worker, she got married to Nelson Mandela in 1958 when she was 22.When in 1964 Mandela was imprisoned for his defiance against white minority rule, Winnie took up the fight.She led an international campaign calling for the release of her husband.She eventually became a symbol of resistance, but was jailed in 1969 for eighteen months. In 1976, she was bannished to a rural area by apartheid authorities.Nelson Mandela was released from prison in 1990, and two years later their marriage hit the rocks.The couple eventually divorced in 1996, two years after mandela became the country’s first black president.Nelson Mandela died in 2013.

Winnie became deputy Arts and Science Minister in the country’s first multi- racial government.
Her image and activism resulted to the creation of many anti- apartheid groups. Her suporters named her  “mother of the nation”.In the late 80s Winnie’s bodygurards of  the United Mandela Club kidnapped four boys who belonged to the anti-apartheid party. Fourteen-year-old Stompie Seipei  was later found dead.She was found guilty and sentenced to six year imprisonment.She denied the  allegations and the jail term got reduced to a fine.
Until her death, she was a member of the ruling African Congress and the South African parliament.

Tributes

Since the news of her death broke, crowds of mourners and political figures have been expressing regret. South Africa’s parliament expressed shock and sadness following her death.In a televised speech, South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa described her as ” a voice of defiance against white – minority rule”. The ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe said” with the departure of Mama Winnie, we have lost one of the very few who were left of our
stalwarts and icons”

Kathy Neba Sina

 

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