Thousands of mourners gathered on Wednesday to pay their respects to the late South African apartheid heroine, Winnie Madikizela Mandela, at the memorial service held at the Orlando Stadium, Soweto.
Present among the mourners were South Africa’s Deputy President, Mr. David Mabuza, the country’s Energy Minister, Jeff Radebe, Rita Ndzanga, a close family friend of the deceased and fellow anti-apartheid activists, several of her grandchildren among others.
Paying his tributes at the service monitored on CNN, the Deputy President, Mr. Mabuza described the late freedom fighter as a “unifier and visionary of note.” According to him the best monument for Winnie Mandela would be for all South Africans to unite behind the vision of a united, non racial, non sexist, just and prosperous society.
Speaking further, he noted that Winnie was an example to many women.
“You taught young women across the nation that they are just as capable, if not more capable, of standing shoulder to shoulder with the men and being totally unapologetic about it. Till death, you knew who your enemy was; racial domination, class exploitation, gender oppression,” he said.
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In his own tribute, one of Winnie’s grandsons, Bambatha Mandela said it was a time of mourning as well as a time to celebrate the life of an extraordinary woman who was a mother, a soldier and an icon.
He paid glowing tribute to her efforts in supporting his grandfather, Nelson Mandela, criticising those who questioned her legacy.
“Behind every great man is a greater woman. Umama (mother) was the embodiment of that quote,” he said.
Several others of her grandchildren spoke glowingly and lovingly of their grandmother.
The Orlando Stadium was filled with mourners singing and dancing, paying tribute to the anti-apartheid activist.
Winnie Madikizela Mandela former wife of anti-apartheid hero and first black president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, died on April 2, 2018, at the age of 81.
She will be buried on Saturday.
