IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 820 

Recognizing the life and significant contributions of Winnie MadikizelaMandela, the former wife of Nelson Mandela, and an icon in the international fight against apartheid and injustice in South Africa, for her 

leadership and her devotion to the cause of freedom for all South Africans. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 11, 2018 

Ms. MAXINE WATERS of California (for herself, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. HASTINGS, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. JEFFRIES, Mr. 

SMITH of Washington, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, Ms. BORDALLO, 

Mr. RUSH, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Ms. LEE, Mr. LAWSON of Florida, Mr. 

PAYNE, and Ms. MOORE) submitted the following resolution; which was 

referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the life and significant contributions of Winnie 

Madikizela-Mandela, the former wife of Nelson Mandela, 

and an icon in the international fight against apartheid 

and injustice in South Africa, for her leadership and 

her devotion to the cause of freedom for all South Africans. 

Whereas Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, known affectionately as 

Winnie Mandela, was born Nomzano Winifred Madikizela 

in Pondoland, South Africa, on September 26, 1936, and 

passed away on April 2, 2018, at the age of 81; 


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Whereas Winnie Mandela lived much of her life under the 

system of apartheid, which literally means ‘‘separateness’’, and which was advocated by South Africa’s Afrikaner National Party in 1948 and became law in South 

Africa by 1950 through measures that separated the 

country’s non-White majority population from its White 

minority by, among other things, classifying all South Africans by race, banning marriage and sexual relations between Black and White South Africans, establishing separate public facilities for Whites and non-Whites, denying 

non-White participation in the South African National 

Government, dividing Black South Africans along Tribal 

lines to prevent them from uniting, thereby reducing 

their political power, and setting aside 80 percent of the 

country’s land for the White minority population while 

requiring non-Whites to carry documents authorizing 

their presence in restricted areas of the country; 

Whereas Winnie Mandela began her career as the first Black 

medical social worker in South Africa, taking a position 

at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Johannesburg where she learned of the deplorable conditions in 

which many of her patients lived under apartheid and 

was motivated to action; 

Whereas Winnie Mandela became heavily involved in activism 

in South Africa as her awareness of the inequalities facing the country increased as a result of her social work; 

Whereas Winnie Mandela became interested and involved 

with the African National Congress, the South African 

political party and leading organization in the 

antiapartheid movement; 

Whereas, in 1957, friends introduced Winnie Mandela, then 

Nomzano Winifred Madikizela, to Nelson Mandela, a lawVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:04 Apr 12, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR820.IH HR820

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yer, member of the African National Congress Executive 

Committee, and leading figure in the antiapartheid movement, who she married on June 14, 1958; 

Whereas beginning in the early days of their marriage, 

Winnie and Nelson Mandela engaged in political activities 

and demonstrations for which they were routinely arrested and targeted by the government and security police; 

Whereas Winnie Mandela’s activism included activities such 

as participating, along with thousands of other women, in 

a demonstration in September 1958 against South Africa’s so-called ‘‘pass laws’’ requiring Blacks in the country 

to carry documentation at all times indicating their assigned residence and employment and authorizing their 

presence in certain areas of the country; 

Whereas Winnie Mandela was incarcerated for two weeks and 

lost her job as a hospital social worker as a result of her 

participation in the September 1958 demonstration; 

Whereas Nelson Mandela was arrested in 1962 and jailed for 

inciting Africans to strike and, while imprisoned on those 

charges, was tried for sabotage, found guilty, and sentenced, in 1964, to life imprisonment, leaving Winnie 

Mandela to raise the couple’s two daughters, Zenani and 

Zindzi, on her own and without a source of income; 

Whereas during her husband’s incarceration, Winnie Mandela 

steadfastly continued her activism against apartheid, 

which led to harsh harassment from police, her arrest on 

several occasions, and her imprisonment in 1969 for 18 

months in solitary confinement, where she was tortured; 

Whereas despite her imprisonment and encounters with police, Winnie Mandela continued her activism; 


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Whereas, in 1977, Winnie Mandela was banished by the 

South African Government to the remote town of 

Brandfort, where neighbors were forbidden to speak to 

her, and she was banned from meeting with more than 

one person at a time; 

Whereas the 1977 banning order against Winnie Mandela 

was only one of multiple government orders issued to 

‘‘ban’’ or restrict her social contact and silence her; 

Whereas Winnie Mandela succeeded in empowering and galvanizing women, in particular, to rise up and speak out 

against the abuses of the apartheid regime in South Africa, and Winnie Mandela popularized the statement, 

‘‘When you strike a woman, you strike a rock’’, which indicated that women were determined in their efforts to 

end apartheid and which symbolized the strength and fortitude of women who could not, and would not, be moved; 

Whereas, in 1985, Winnie Mandela inspired the introduction 

of a joint resolution in the United States House of Representatives sponsored by the late Representative George 

Crockett of Michigan, and cosponsored by fifty-eight 

other Members of Congress, to proclaim Nomzamo 

Winnie Mandela to be an honorary citizen of the United 

States and condemn her banishment to Brandfort, South 

Africa; 

Whereas, on February 11, 1990, as a result of Winnie 

Mandela’s activism, domestic efforts in South Africa, and 

international outrage, Nelson Mandela was released from 

27 years of imprisonment declaring a ‘‘deep appreciation 

for the strength given to [him] . . . by [his] beloved 

wife’’; 


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Whereas although Winnie Mandela was the wife of Nelson 

Mandela, who became President of South Africa in May 

1994, Winnie Mandela was a historic figure and leader 

in South Africa in her own right; 

Whereas Winnie Mandela was elected to serve as the president of the African National Congress Women’s League 

in 1993; 

Whereas, in 1994, Winnie Mandela was elected to serve as 

a Member of South Africa’s Parliament; 

Whereas, in 1994, Winnie Mandela was appointed by her 

husband, then President, Nelson Mandela, to serve as 

Deputy Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology; 

Whereas although Winnie and Nelson Mandela divorced in 

1995, Winnie Mandela continued to be a notable international figure; 

Whereas, in 2007, Winnie Mandela was elected to the African 

National Congress National Executive Committee; 

Whereas in South Africa, Winnie Mandela became known as 

the ‘‘Mother of the Nation’’ for her constant dedication 

and bravery in the struggles facing her people and in the 

fight against apartheid; and 

Whereas despite controversies surrounding her life and career, Winnie Mandela’s unwavering commitment to ending apartheid and securing Nelson Mandela’s freedom 

has earned her a notable place in history: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes and honors the life and achieve3 ments of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela as an activist 


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1 and international leader who was pivotal in bringing 

2 an end to the long injustice of apartheid; 

3 (2) recognizes Winnie Mandela’s steadfast re4 solve to support her then-husband, Nelson Mandela, 

5 during his 27-year unjust incarceration in South Af6 rica, and to fight for, and secure, his release; 

7 (3) commends the courage, hard work, commit8 ment, and dedication of Winnie Mandela for fighting 

9 for the rights and empowerment of oppressed Black 

10 South Africans and women; and 

11 (4) offers condolences to the people of South 

12 Africa for the loss of a national leader and icon. 

Æ 


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