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Reflecting On The Revolutionary Life Of Winnie Mandela
By Kamau Austin
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| Picture references |
Mam' Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the courageous mother of the free South Africa Movement, made her transition today. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, was also the former wife of the legendary Anti-Apartheid leader Nelson Mandela. We give tribute to her for her sacrifices to support her husband Nelson Mandela, and the struggle against Apartheid.
For 27 years while her husband was in prison she was the face of the Anti-Apartheid struggle and suffered at the hands of the Apartheid regime. Her contribution and commitment to end Apartheid cannot be understated.
Ms. Madikizela-Mandela, has been given a mixed commentary by the major media press at best and has even been slighted very disrespectfully in some media outlets. However, we at the Southeast Queens Scoop consider "Mam" Madikizela-Mandela a highly respected revolutionary and freedom fighter. She was a woman warrior and freedom fighter on the level of Harriet Tubman and Queen Nzinga of Angola.
This is why we are posting her last interview to share her insights on the present political and economic developments in South Africa in her own words. Lower down in the 2nd half of this post we share an interview about her from her neighbors for a more human touch.
Let's get informed about this iconic ancestor who fought so valiantly for the freedom of her country in a brutal and hostile atmosphere.
Listen To The Provocative Last Interview With Winnie Mandela
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About Winnie Mandela
According to the Washington Post, "Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the former wife of Nelson Mandela and for decades one of South Africa’s most prominent and polarizing figures, died April 2 at a hospital in Johannesburg. She was 81. Her family confirmed the death in a statement and said she had been hospitalized for an illness earlier this year." Mam' Mandela was 81 years of age.
According to Reuters she was "Born on Sept. 26, 1936, in Bizana, Eastern Cape province, Madikizela-Mandela became politicized at an early age in her job as a hospital social worker."
Some media outlets allude to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, as an attractive woman with a strong or powerful persona which made her attractive to her later husband Nelson Mandela when she was 22 years of age. According to CNBC news she was "Strikingly attractive and with a steely air - her given name, Nomzamo, means 'one who strives' - the 22-year-old Winnie caught the eye of Mandela at a Soweto bus-stop in 1957, starting a whirlwind romance that led to their marriage a year later."
Obviously, the strain of being in the struggle and having a marriage, where her husband was being incarcerated for 27 years, put a strain on her marriage to say the least. Also dealing with the suffering and brutality of the Apartheid system made her a formidable opponent to a system and her actions I'm sure weren't always pretty fighting the unjust system.
It has been said that Winnie Madikizela-Mandela stated "I was married to the ANC. It was the best marriage I ever had." Towards the end of her life she had an ambiguous outlook on the ANC, to put it mildly, and was very concerned about its direction.
It is no secret that Winnie and her husband Nelson had their differences on how to take over South Africa, politically moving forward. She is reported as saying about Nelson Mandela "Mandela did go to prison and he went in there as a burning young revolutionary. But look what came out," she said. "Mandela let us down. He agreed to a bad deal for the blacks."
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela is claimed to be very stubborn by some detractors. She was considered to be fearsome by other adversaries. Many middle of the road interests in the West didn't like the revolutionary Mam' Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
Winnie was recalled by neighbors and friends to have quite a sense of humor often telling jokes. Some described her in videos as being humble and a woman of the people who lived among them.
However to me and many other Blacks throughout the world, who dream a vision of our collective freedom and empowerment - we are greatly indebted to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela!
We know and thank her for her determination to tirelessly fight for our freedom in challenging times that would have broken a lesser soul. The ancestors no doubt rejoice to welcome her indomitable spirit to eternity.
According to the Washington Post, "Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the former wife of Nelson Mandela and for decades one of South Africa’s most prominent and polarizing figures, died April 2 at a hospital in Johannesburg. She was 81. Her family confirmed the death in a statement and said she had been hospitalized for an illness earlier this year." Mam' Mandela was 81 years of age.
According to Reuters she was "Born on Sept. 26, 1936, in Bizana, Eastern Cape province, Madikizela-Mandela became politicized at an early age in her job as a hospital social worker."
Some media outlets allude to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, as an attractive woman with a strong or powerful persona which made her attractive to her later husband Nelson Mandela when she was 22 years of age. According to CNBC news she was "Strikingly attractive and with a steely air - her given name, Nomzamo, means 'one who strives' - the 22-year-old Winnie caught the eye of Mandela at a Soweto bus-stop in 1957, starting a whirlwind romance that led to their marriage a year later."
Obviously, the strain of being in the struggle and having a marriage, where her husband was being incarcerated for 27 years, put a strain on her marriage to say the least. Also dealing with the suffering and brutality of the Apartheid system made her a formidable opponent to a system and her actions I'm sure weren't always pretty fighting the unjust system.
It has been said that Winnie Madikizela-Mandela stated "I was married to the ANC. It was the best marriage I ever had." Towards the end of her life she had an ambiguous outlook on the ANC, to put it mildly, and was very concerned about its direction.
It is no secret that Winnie and her husband Nelson had their differences on how to take over South Africa, politically moving forward. She is reported as saying about Nelson Mandela "Mandela did go to prison and he went in there as a burning young revolutionary. But look what came out," she said. "Mandela let us down. He agreed to a bad deal for the blacks."
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela is claimed to be very stubborn by some detractors. She was considered to be fearsome by other adversaries. Many middle of the road interests in the West didn't like the revolutionary Mam' Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
Winnie was recalled by neighbors and friends to have quite a sense of humor often telling jokes. Some described her in videos as being humble and a woman of the people who lived among them.
However to me and many other Blacks throughout the world, who dream a vision of our collective freedom and empowerment - we are greatly indebted to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela!
We know and thank her for her determination to tirelessly fight for our freedom in challenging times that would have broken a lesser soul. The ancestors no doubt rejoice to welcome her indomitable spirit to eternity.
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