IV 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 820 
Recognizing the life and significant contributions of Winnie Madikizela- 
Mandela, the former wife of Nelson Mandela, and an icon in the inter-
national fight against apartheid and injustice in South Africa, for her 
leadership and her devotion to the cause of freedom for all South Afri-
cans. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 11, 2018 
Ms. MAXINE WATERS of California (for herself, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHN-
SON 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 Afri-
cans. 
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 ‘‘separate-
ness’’, and which was advocated by South Africa’s Afri-
kaner 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 Af-
ricans by race, banning marriage and sexual relations be-
tween Black and White South Africans, establishing sep-
arate 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 Johannes-
burg 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 fac-
ing 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 law-
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yer, member of the African National Congress Executive 
Committee, and leading figure in the antiapartheid move-
ment, 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 ar-
rested and targeted by the government and security po-
lice; 
Whereas Winnie Mandela’s activism included activities such 
as participating, along with thousands of other women, in 
a demonstration in September 1958 against South Afri-
ca’s so-called ‘‘pass laws’’ requiring Blacks in the country 
to carry documentation at all times indicating their as-
signed 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 sen-
tenced, 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 po-
lice, 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 gal-
vanizing women, in particular, to rise up and speak out 
against the abuses of the apartheid regime in South Afri-
ca, and Winnie Mandela popularized the statement, 
‘‘When you strike a woman, you strike a rock’’, which in-
dicated that women were determined in their efforts to 
end apartheid and which symbolized the strength and for-
titude 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 Rep-
resentatives 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 presi-
dent 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 Tech-
nology; 
Whereas although Winnie and Nelson Mandela divorced in 
1995, Winnie Mandela continued to be a notable inter-
national 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 ca-
reer, Winnie Mandela’s unwavering commitment to end-
ing apartheid and securing Nelson Mandela’s freedom 
has earned her a notable place in history: Now, therefore, 
be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes and honors the life and achieve-
ments of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela as an activist 
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and international leader who was pivotal in bringing 
an end to the long injustice of apartheid; 
(2) recognizes Winnie Mandela’s steadfast re-
solve to support her then-husband, Nelson Mandela, 
during his 27-year unjust incarceration in South Af-
rica, and to fight for, and secure, his release; 
(3) commends the courage, hard work, commit-
ment, and dedication of Winnie Mandela for fighting 
for the rights and empowerment of oppressed Black 
South Africans and women; and 
(4) offers condolences to the people of South 
Africa for the loss of a national leader and icon. 
Æ 
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