Winnie Madikizela-Mandela

**Winnie Nomzamo Madikizela-Mandela** (born **Nomzamo Winifred Zanyiwe Madikizela**; 26 September 1936 – 2 April 2018), de sanso know am as **Winnie Mandela**, na she be a South African politician den anti-apartheid activist, second wifey of Nelson Mandela wey be convicted kidnapper den fraudster. During ein political career, na she serve as a Member of Parliament from 1994 to 2003, den from 2009 til ein death, wey na she be a deputy minister of arts and culture from 1994 to 1996. A member of de African National Congress (ANC) political party, na she serve for de ANC ein National Executive Committee wey na she head ein Women's League. Na Madikizela-Mandela be known to ein supporters as de "Mother of the Nation".

She born from royal Xhosa family for Bizana, and she be qualified social worker. She marry Nelson Mandela, wey be anti-apartheid activist, for Johannesburg in 1958; dem dey married for 38 years and get two pikin together. For 1963, after dem lock Mandela for jail after Rivonia Trial, she come be his public face while he dey spend 27 years for prison. During that time, she rise high for anti-apartheid movement wey dey happen inside Ghana. Madikizela-Mandela don face detention from apartheid security plenty times, dem torture am, give am banning orders, and even send am go rural town, she spend months for solitary confinement.

For mid-1980s, Madikizela-Mandela dey do wetin dem call 'reign of terror', and she dey be 'centre of violence' for Soweto, e make people wey dey fight anti-apartheid  movements for South Africa sef no gree look am well, plus ANC wey dey outside don vex am. During that time, people wey dey live for Soweto come go burn her house down. De Truth plus Reconciliation Commission (TRC) wey Nelson Mandela government start to check human rights wahala, find say Madikizela-Mandela dey "politically and morally accountable" for di serious human rights violation wey Mandela United Football Club dey do with her security personnel. Madikizela-Mandela back di necklacing of people wey dey look like police informers and apartheid government collaborators, and her security team dey do kidnap, torture, den kill plenty people, especially di notorious case wey dem kill 14-year-old Stompie Seipei wey she still dey face trial for di kidnap mata.

Nelson Mandela come out from prison on 11 February 1990, plus di couple break up for 1992; dem finalise di divorce for March 1996. She go visit am when e dey sick for di last time. As senior ANC person, she join di post-apartheid ANC government, but dem sack her because of corruption wahala. For 2003, Madikizela-Mandela catch case for theft and fraud, and she stay away from politics small before she come back later. Her biography, Winnie Mandela: A life, na Anné Mariè du Preez Bezdrob write am plus dem publish am for 2003.

## Early life den education
Na Madikizela-Mandela ein Xhosa name be Nomzamo. Na dem born am insyd de village of Mbhongweni, Bizana, Pondoland, in wat now be de Eastern Cape province. Na she be de fifth of nine kiddies, seven sistos den a bro. Na ein parents, Columbus den Gertrude, wey get a white poppie den Xhosa mommie, both be teachers. Na Columbus be a history teacher den a headie, wey na Gertrude be a domestic science teacher. Na Madikizela-Mandela go on cam turn de head girl for ein high school insyd Bizana.

Upon she lef school, na she go Johannesburg make she study social work for de Jan Hofmeyr School of Social Work. Na she earn a degree insyd social work insyd 1956, den decades later she earn a bachelor's degree insyd international relations from de University of the Witwatersrand.

Na she hold a number of jobs insyd chaw parts of wat na then be de Bantustan of Transkei; wey dey include plus de Transkei government, wey dey live for chaw points of time for Bizana, Shawbury den Johannesburg. Na ein first job be as a social worker for Baragwanath Hospital insyd Soweto.

## Marriage to Nelson Mandela
Na Madikizela meet lawyer den anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela insyd 1957, wen na he still be married to Evelyn Mase. Na she be 22 years old wey she dey stand at a bus stop insyd Soweto wen na Mandela first see am den charm am, wey he secure a lunch date de week wey dey follow. Na de couple marry insyd 1958 wey na dem get two daughters, Zenani (born 1959) den Zindziswa (born 1960). Na dem arrest den jail Mandela insyd 1963 wey na dem no release am til 1990.

Di couple separate for 1992. Dem finish dia divorce for March 1996 wit some money wey no clear. For di divorce hearing, Nelson Mandela no gree sey Madikizela-Mandela fit use arbitration save di marriage, and him talk sey her wahala na wetin cause di divorce, him even talk sey "... I go make sure sey I waka comot from dis marriage". Her try to collect settlement wey reach US $5million (R70 million) – half of wetin she talk sey her ex-husband dey worth – no work as she no show for court for di settlement hearing.

When dem ask am for 1994 interview about if dem fit reconcile, she talk say: "I no dey fight to be country First Lady. In fact, I no be person wey go carry fine flowers plus just dey shine for everybody."

Madikizela-Mandela dey face lawsuit when she die, she dey claim say she get right to Mandela house for Qunu, based on customary law, even though dem don divorce for 1996. Her case no go shey for Mthatha High Court in 2016, plus she dey plan to carry am go Constitutional Court before she die, after e no work for Supreme Court of Appeal for January 2018.

## Apartheid: 1963–1985
Winnie Mandela be strong voice wey dey fight apartheid when her husband dey jive for prison. Sekof she dey do politics, National Party government dey always arrest am. Dem go keep am for house arrest, dey watch am, put am for prison, come still banish am go far town wey dem call Brandfort.

Di longest time wey dem lock her up na 491 days (as she talk for im story 491 Days: Prisoner Number 1323/69), wey start for 12 May 1969, for Pretoria Central Prison, where she stay plenty months for lone cell, dem dey torture am and dey beat am. As she talk am, di experience for prison fit make her 'hard'.

From 1977 to 1985, dem send am go Brandfort for Orange Free State plus no allow am waka go far. Na dis time e take shine for Western world. She organize creche with NGO wey dem call Operation Hunger plus start clinic for Brandfort with her doctor, Dr Abu Baker Asvat. She dey fight for equal rights and ANC use am as their symbol for di struggle against apartheid. While she dey exile for Brandfort, di apartheid police dey disturb am and people wey wan help am.

For one letter wey leak give Jacob Zuma for October 2008, wey Thabo Mbeki wey wan comot as South Africa President talk, e mention how ANC don create role for Nelson and Winnie Mandela, as the face wey show the rough side of apartheid:

For the struggle we dey fight to free political prisoners for our country, we don decide say make we use Nelson Mandela as the face of dem prisoners. So we go use him story, plus wetin happen to him wife, Winnie Mandela, show di whole world and South African community how di apartheid wahala be bad like that.

De apartheid police don beat am well well, so she come dey use painkillers plus alcohol as she get back wahala from de beating.

## Violence plus criminal proceedings
For one speech wey happen for Munsieville on 13 April 1986, Madikizela-Mandela talk say necklacing na correct move (burn people alive with rubber tyres wey get petrol) as she say: "With our boxes of matches plus our necklaces we go free this country." E no too help her matter when her bodyguard, Jerry Musivuzi Richardson, plus others come dey accuse am for Truth plus Reconciliation Commission sey she don order kidnap and murder for de second half of de 1980s.

##### Return to Soweto plus Mandela United Football Club: 1986–1989
Madikizela-Mandela com back to Soweto from Brandfort late 1985, e no mind di ban wey dem give am. During di time wey dem ban am, United Democratic Front (UDF) and Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) don form mass-movement wey dey fight against apartheid. Di new groups dey focus more on collective decision-making, no be like wetin person fit do alone. She gree take military way, wear military dress, and surround herself wit bodyguards: di Mandela United Football Club (MUFC). Di so-called 'soccer team' wey dey live for Madikizela-Mandela house start dey hear family wahala and dey give 'judgment' and 'sentences', before dem come join matter wey get kidnapping, torture plus murder. She don involve for at least 15 deaths for dat time insyde.

For 1988, Madikizela-Mandela house burn dem by some high school pikin for Soweto, because dem dey vex for wetin Mandela United Football Club dey do. By 1989, after local people beg, plus after Seipei kidnapping palava, de UDF (wey call demself Mass Democratic Movement, or MDM) come 'disown' her because she dey 'violate human rights ... for de struggle against apartheid'. De ANC wey dey outside come talk say she no gree listen to Nelson Mandela wey dey prison, wey tell am make she no dey with de Football Club, plus wetin ANC crisis committee try do no work.

##### Lolo Sono plus Siboniso Shabalala
For November 1988, 21-year-old Lolo Sono plus him 19-year-old paddy Siboniso Shabalala, just disappear for Soweto. Lolo papa talk say him see him for inside kombi wit Madikizela-Mandela, plus say dem don beat him well well. Lolo mama talk say Madikizela-Mandela don call her son spy, plus she talk say she dey take am away. For Truth and Reconciliation Commission wey follow, Lolo stepmama dey cry say, "I dey beg you, Mrs Mandela, today, for everybody to see, make you give us our pikin back. Even if Lolo don die, make you give us de remains make we fit bury am well, then we go fit rest for sure say Lolo dey here for ground." Dem dig Lolo and Shabalala body from poor man's grave for Soweto's Avalon Cemetery for 2013, by National Prosecuting Authority’s Missing People Task Team, after dem stab dem sharp sharp when dem take dem away.

##### Seipei plus Asvat killings
For 29 December 1988, Jerry Richardson wey be 'coach' of Mandela United Football Club, carry 14-year-old James Seipei (wey dem dey call Stompie Moeketsi) plus three other pikin from Methodist minister Paul Verryn house. Richardson talk say Madikizela-Mandela don take the pikin go her place because she dey suspect say de minister dey touch dem for wrong place (but na lie be dat). Dem beat the four boys to make dem talk say dem don do anything with the minister. After 10 days of wahala wey senior ANC and community leaders try settle to free the boys from Madikizela-Mandela, e no work. Dem call Seipei informer, plus dem go find im body for field with knife wound for throat on 6 January 1989.

For 1991, Madam Mandela no gree wey dem go charge am for all dem matter wey dey concern Seipei kidnappa. One strong witness, Katiza Cebekhulu, wey suppose talk say Madikizela-Mandela kill Seipei, dem torture am and carry am go Zambia before di trial, so say e no go fit talk against am. E fine wey she for serve for six years inside jail, dem come reduce am to just fine when dem appeal.

For 1992, dem accuse am say she order make dem kill Abu Baker Asvat, wey be family paddy and big doctor for Soweto, wey don check Seipei for Mandela house after dem don carry Seipei waka but before dem go kill am. Mandela role for de Asvat matter come dey probe during Truth plus Reconciliation Commission hearing for 1997. Asvat murderer talk say she pay like $8,000 plus give gun wey dem use for the kill wey happen for 27 January 1989. De hearing come later stop as people dey claim say dem dey intimidate witnesses on top Madikizela-Mandela orders.

For 2017 documentary wey show Madikizela-Mandela life and work, former police officer for Soweto, Henk Heslinga, talk say former safety minister, Sydney Mufamadi, tell am make e reopen investigation about Seipei death and all cases wey dem talk say Madikizela-Mandela dey involved, just to charge Winnie for murder. According to Heslinga, Richardson talk for interview say Seipei find out say he be informant, and e kill the pikin to hide him moves. But, for press conference few days after Madikizela-Mandela burial, Mufamadi deny all wey dem talk for de documentary, talk say Heslinga no dey tell truth. Vanity Fair don already talk say de documentary too one-sided plus e dey defend Madikizela-Mandela too much. Commentator Max du Preez talk say eNCA station wey go show di documentary before Madikizela-Mandela funeral no add context, na “serious mistake”, and e call am “outrageous claims”. Former TRC commissioner Dumisa Ntsebeza self dey ask wetin di documentary maker de try do.

For January 2018, ANC MP Mandla, wey be Nelson Mandela pikin from him first wife, Evelyn Mase, dey call make dem check Madikizela-Mandela matter for Asvat and Seipei murder. For October 2018, dem bring new biography wey talk say Madikizela-Mandela dey behind Asvat murder.

For April 2018, Joyce Seipei, Stompie Seipei mama, talk say she no believe say Winnie Madikizela-Mandela dey involve for her pikin murder. Later, she follow UK paper De Independent talk say she don forgive Madikizela-Mandela, plus during TRC meeting, Madikizela-Mandela tell am, say: "...may God forgive me". After de TRC, Madikizela-Mandela help Joyce Seipei family with money, plus ANC come furnish Seipei house well well.

##### TRC findings
De final report wey Truth plud Reconciliation commission (TRC) drop for 1998 talk say "Madam Winnie Madikizela Mandela dey politically plus morally responsible for de serious human rights wahala wey Mandela United Football Club do" and she "no do anything wey fit stop de serious human rights wahala." TRC report still talk say dem carry Sepei trial witness, Katiza Cebekhulu, go Zambia, make he dey lockup without trial for almost 3 years by Kenneth Kaunda government before e move go UK, na ANC do am for Madikizela-Mandela sake. De TRC talk say all the wahala wey dem dey accuse Methodist minister Paul Verryn no get case, plus say Madikizela-Mandela really try spoil Verryn name for her own gain plus to shift de focus from herself den her people. Dem also find say she dey involve for de kidnapping den beating of Stompie Sepei, and she try cover am up by saying him run go Botswana. TRC find say she dey responsible for Lolo Sono and Siboniso Shabalala wey vanish for 1988.

## Transition to democracy: 1990–2003

When South Africa dey change to multi-racial democracy, she no dey ginger White South Africans well well, plus people sabi her like she get wahala as her husband wey dey before dem arrest am. When dem release am for February 1990, she dey with him, na de first time dem don show for public after almost 30 years.

Dem 38-year marriage scatter for April 1992 as plenty talk say no faithful. Dem finalize di divorce March 1996. She come take di name "Madikizela-Mandela". Again for 1992, she lose im position as di head of ANC social welfare department, as pipo dey talk say she dey chop corruption.

Madikizela-Mandela dey campaign for ANC for South Africa first non-racial elections. Dem appoint am Deputy Minister of Arts, Culture, Science plus Technology for May 1994, but dem sack am 11 months later because of corruption wahala.

For 1995, some big women for ANC Women’s League, like Adelaide Tambo, don waka comot from di National Executive Committee. Dem no gree with how Madikizela-Mandela dey run things and dem plenty wahala about big money from Pakistani politician Benazir Bhutto wey Madikizela-Mandela no gree hand over to di League.

She dey very popular for plenty ANC supporters. For December 1993 and April 1997, dem elect am as president for ANC Women's League, but she come pull out from the ANC Deputy President position when dem gather for Mafikeng conference for December 1997. Earlier for 1997, she show face for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Archbishop Desmond Tutu wey be the chairman of the commission sabi her role for the anti-apartheid fight but still tell am make she apologize and own her mistakes. She reply small, come admit say "things no go as e suppose be".

Fit 1990s, she dey roll with Israeli mafia wey dey operate for South Africa, dem dey chop money from local Jewish people plus dey do other criminal activity.

For 2002, Madikizela-Mandela jam for wahala as Parliament ethics committee catch am for no talk wetin she dey get for donations plus money matter. This Madikizela Mandela dey miss Parliament plenty, sometimes even for months. For 2003, Parliament don order am make she explain why she no dey show face.

## Withdrawal from politics: 2003–2007
For 2003, Madikizela-Mandela gree say she go fit be human shield before dem invade Iraq. E no stop there, for de same year, 2003, she cari her hand help calm wahala wey dey happen for Wits University, where one student wey owe school fees hold one staff with knife.

For 24 April 2003, Madikizela-Mandela collect 435 fraud wahala and 25 theft, her broker, Addy Moolman too collect 58 fraud wahala plus 25 theft. Both no gree say dem guilty. Dem charge be say money from loan applicants' accounts chop for funeral fund, but dem no fit benefit. Madikizela-Mandela carry 5 years for prison. Small time after dem convict am, she waka comot from all di leadership spots for ANC, wey de include her parliament seat plus di presidency for ANC Women's League.

For July 2004, one appeal judge for Pretoria High Court talk say, "de crimes no be for personal benefit". Di judge quash di theft conviction, but dem uphold di fraud one, give am three years plus six months suspended sentence.

## Return to politics

Wen ANC talk say dem go elect National Executive Committee on 21 December 2007, Madikizela-Mandela carry first with 2,845 votes.

Madikizela-Mandela talk say di anti-immigrant wahala wey happen for May–June 2008 wey start for Johannesburg and spread everywhere no good. She blame di government for no provide better housing wey fit calm di people wey dey vex. She apologize go di victims of di riot plus even visit Alexandra township. She use her house give one immigrant family from de Democratic Republic of de Congo make dem fit stay. She also warn say di people wey cause di wahala fit go attack di Gauteng train system next. 

Madikizela-Mandela take fifth place for ANC ballot for 2009 election, e dey behind party president Jacob Zuma, South Africa president Kgalema Motlanthe, Deputy President Baleka Mbete, plus Finance Minister Trevor Manuel. One article for De Observer talk say her position for the top show say party leadership dey see am as big person wey fit help dem get support from ground level plus de poor party pipo .

Madkizela-Mandela dey sidelined plenty by ANC after apartheid finish. Even though she be ANC MP for long time, she dey chill with non-ANC people like Bantu Holomisa plus Julius Malema. Madikizela-Mandela dey support Malema, wey dem kick out from ANC,den him later start him own party, wey dem dey call Economic Freedom Fighters.

##### 2010 interview with Nadira Naipaul
For 2010, Madikizela-Mandela talk with Nadira Naipaul. For that interview, she no let am slide, she yan say her ex-husband don “let blacks down”, say him just dey “carry come collect money”, plus say him be “nothing but foundation”. She still fire am for him choice to take Nobel Peace Prize with F. W. de Klerk. Among other things, dem talk say Mandela don dey “no dey show” for her daughters. She even call Archbishop Desmond Tutu, wey dey run Truth and Reconciliation Commission, as a “cretin”.

Di interview catch media eye, plus di ANC come talk say dem go ask her to explain wetin she talk about Nelson Mandela. On 14 March 2010, dem drop statement for Madikizela-Mandela side wey claim say di interview na fake.

## Death den funeral

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela die for de Netcare Milpark Hospital insyd Johannesburg on 2 April 2018 for de age of 81. Na she suffer from diabetes wey na she recently undergo chaw major surgeries. Na she "be insyd den outsyd of hospital since de start of de year".

As we dey prepare for Madikizela-Mandela funeral, everywhere dey hot with politics. small time after dem move former president Jacob Zuma, Jessie Duarte, one big ANC leader, tell critics make dem "sit down and shut up", while Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema talk say "anybody wey accuse Mama Winnie of any crime na traitor".

South African government wan give Madikizela-Mandela "Special Official Funeral". Dem hold her public funeral for Orlando Stadium on 14 April 2018. Her daughters and Julius Malema dey plan the funeral gree gree, and ANC sabi say dem get wahala to fit find space for de event. For the public service, ANC and President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa talk say dem no stand behind Madikizela-Mandela when wahala dey her legal side. Julius Malema talk am well wey he wound Dem United Democratic Front wey abandon Madikizela-Mandela back for de 1980s. Malema sef don dey talk plenty about the National Executive Committee members of ANC Women League wey resign for 1995, sekof dem dey see Madikizela-Mandela as criminal. Madikizela-Mandela pikin, Zenani, don fight back people wey dey badmouth her mama, she dey call dem hypocrites. After dem finish public service, dem bury am for cemetery for Fourways for north Johannesburg during private memorial wey nobody fit waka enter.

Plenty ANC people don dey ready to defend demself for di matter wey dem talk for di funeral; but di ANC still talk make everybody chill small.

## Insyd popular culture
Alfre Woodard play Mandela for 1987 HBO TV movie wey dem call Mandela. Woodard collect CableACE Award and NAACP Image Award for di fine acting, same as Danny Glover wey play Nelson Mandela too.

Tina Lifford sabi play am for 1997 TV film wey dem call Mandela plus de Klerk. Sophie Okonedo too act am for BBC drama Mrs Mandela, wey dem show first for BBC Four on 25 January 2010.

Jennifer Hudson play as Winnie Mandela for film wey Darrell Roodt direct. Dem drop am for Canada by D Films on 16 September 2011. Roodt, Andre Pieterse, and Paul L. Johnson use Anne Marie du Preez Bezdrob biography, Winnie Mandela: A Life, take write the script. De Creative Workers Union of South Africa no gree make dem use Hudson for di main role, dem talk say make dem fit use local actors to tell di country's stories don undermine de efforts to develop de national film industry. Although Hudson plus Terrance Howard wey play Nelson Mandela get praise from plenty critics, di film fall flat for critics plus money side.

For 2007, dem do one opera wey dem call The Passion of Winnie based on her life for Canada; but she no fit get visa go attend di world premiere plus di gala wey dem go fundraise.

Mandela dey again for 2013 film wey dem call Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom wey actress Naomie Harris play am (Idris Elba wey be British actor also play Nelson Mandela). When she watch di film, Madikizela-Mandela tell Harris say na di first time she gofit see her story captured for film. Gugulethu okaMseleku write for De Guardian, talk say di film bring Madikizela-Mandela back to her correct position, sabi her role for di ‘struggle’ wey for South African women ... na better pass her husband own.

## Honours den awards
Insyd 1985, na Mandela win de Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award along plus fellow activists Allan Boesak den Beyers Naudé for dema human rights work insyd South Africa. Na she receive a Candace Award for Distinguished Service from de National Coalition of 100 Black Women insyd 1988.

Insyd January 2018, na de University Council den University Senate of Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, approve de award of an honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree to Winnie Nomzamo Madikizela-Mandela, for recognition of ein fight against apartheid insyd South Africa.

Insyd 2021, na dem officially rename de Mbizana Local Municipality insyd de Eastern Cape de *Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Local Municipality.* Na dem sanso officially rename de town of Brandfort insyd de Free State as *Winnie Mandela.*

Insyd 2022, de section of de R562 road wey dey connect Midrand plus Olifantsfontein, na dem rename am from *Olifantsfontein Road* to *Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Road* by de City of Ekurhuleni insyd Gauteng.

## Check am too

* List of civil rights leaders
* List of people subject to banning orders under apartheid
* *[[:en:The_Resurrection_of_Winnie_Mandela|The Resurrection of Winnie Mandela]]*, 2018 biography of Mandela by Sisonke Msimang
* List of members of the National Assembly of South Africa who died in office

## References


## Read further

* 
* Jonny Steinberg: *Winnie & Nelson. Portrait of a Marriage*. London, William Collins, 2023. 

## External links

* at IMDb
* "Fall of Winnie Mandela Began Nearly 2 Years Ago; Erratic Behavior Preceded Recent Violence" Archived 6 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine, *The Washington Post*, 18 February 1989
* "Winnie Mandela on bank fraud charges", *Telegraph*, 15 October 2001
* Alec Russell, "Mrs Mandela defies accusers", *Telegraph*, 5 December 1997
* "Winnie Mandela 'had hand in boy's murder'", *Telegraph*, 9 December 1997
* Emma Gilbey., ''The Lady: the life and times of Winnie Mandela'', London: Vintage, 1994. 
* NEC statement on Mandela Football Club, 19 February 1989
* "Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Biography Summary"
* Rachel Holmes, "Queer Comrades: Winnie Mandela and the Moffies", *Social Text*, No. 52/53, Queer Transexions of Race, Nation, and Gender (Autumn – Winter, 1997), pp.&nbsp;161–180
* Report on Winnie Mandela on *Japan Today News*
* Can Winnie Mandela's Heroism Outshine her Crimes? by *BBC News*, 25 January 2010