Winnie, the Nomzamo has passed on at 81

Winnie.Credit Wikipedia

Winnie, the Nomzamo has passed on at 81

She had fought the many battles of real Nomzamo, her Xhosa name, which means ‘she who tries’. She kept trying. Some of the times she failed, and some of the times she succeeded.

Winnie saw herself going in and out of many things: in out of the prison, in and out of power, in and out of love, in and out of hospital and finally, in and out of life. That is the simple story of a South African anti-apartheid figure, Nomzamo Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, who died on Monday at the age of 81

Simply, Winnie, was the former wife of South Africa’s first black president, Nelson Mandela. They both were famous for their roles against apartheid in South Africa. The couple divorced in 1996, but she kept his surname and maintained ties with him.

In later years her reputation became tainted legally and politically as a result of some criminal charges. Winnie was heard backing the practice of “necklacing” – putting burning tyres around suspected informants’ necks – and was accused of conducting a virtual reign of terror in parts of Soweto by other members of the Africsn National Congress (ANC) in the late 1980s.

She was also found guilty of kidnapping and sentenced to six years’ imprisonment for her involvement in the death of 14-year-old township militant Stompie Seipei. She always denied the allegation, and the sentence was reduced to a fine.

Family spokesman Victor Dlamini said Mrs Mandela “succumbed peacefully in the early hours of Monday afternoon surrounded by her family and loved ones” following a long illness, which had seen her go in and out of hospital since the start of the year.

Retired archbishop and Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu praised her as a “defining symbol of the struggle against apartheid”.

“Her courageous defiance was deeply inspirational to me, and to generations of activists,” he added.

He added: “With the departure of Mama Winnie, [we have lost] one of the very few who are left of our stalwarts and icons. She was one of those who would tell us exactly what is wrong and right, and we are going to be missing that guidance.”

Energy Minister Jeff Radebe, reading out a statement on behalf of the family, paid tribute to “a colossus who strode the Southern African political landscape”.

“As the ANC we dip our revolutionary banner in salute of this great icon of our liberation struggle,” he said.

“The Mandela family are deeply grateful for the gift of her life and even as our hearts break at her passing we urge all those who loved her to celebrate this most remarkable South African woman.”.

Mrs Madikizela-Mandela was also the first black social worker in the country. Her love and desire to help those in need was always burning from deep inside.