Sad news out of South Africa today.
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, former wife of world icon Nelson Mandela, and herself one of the most famous anti-apartheid activists, has died. She was 81 years old.
I actually saw Winne Mandela in person, back in the spring of 1990, when Nelson Mandela visited the United States shortly after his release from prison, and as the negotiations to officially end apartheid in South Africa were beginning. I barely caught a glimpse of Nelson Mandela as his motorcade left the United Nations, but Winnie Mandela was walking the streets of Manhattan, obviously with a huge entourage. So, I was able to see her quite clearly.
Winnie Mandela became arguably the most famous voice and face of protest against the brutal, officially racist whine-minority government during the days of apartheid. She gave numerous speeches and made tons of headlines with her every movement at the peak of her involvement against apartheid. In fact, she came to be known as the "Mother of the Nation."
However, once apartheid was in the process of being eradicated in South Africa, she and Nelson Mandela got a divorce, as reports of corruption and her support of horrifying violence began to tarnish her once sterling public image around the world. Indeed, while she suffered during the apartheid regime, and was jailed like her famous then husband, her advocacy for the brutal method of killing suspected black collaborators of the apartheid system by "necklacing" was roundly condemned. There were also serious charges leveled at her that she used her soccer team to instigate violence, and that she ordered her bodyguard to kidnap and murder opponents.
Nelson Mandela felt the need to separate himself from her, publicly and privately, even though the two were married for nearly four decades, during both of their most famous years of activism, while Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on Robben Island, just a few miles off the coast of Cape Town. She was not married to him when he was elected president, or while he served as the leader of the newly crowned "Rainbow Nation."
Years later, she would criticize her former husband and claim that he essentially had sold out the blacks of South Africa. She also criticized former President FW DeKlerk.
Still, many recognized her anti-apartheid activism, and her strong leadership role which helped to bring down the apartheid system.
Former archbishop and Nobel Laureate Desmond Tutu said she was a "defining symbol of the struggle against apartheid"
He also said:
"Her courageous defiance was deeply inspirational to me, and to generations of activists."
I actually saw Winne Mandela in person, back in the spring of 1990, when Nelson Mandela visited the United States shortly after his release from prison, and as the negotiations to officially end apartheid in South Africa were beginning. I barely caught a glimpse of Nelson Mandela as his motorcade left the United Nations, but Winnie Mandela was walking the streets of Manhattan, obviously with a huge entourage. So, I was able to see her quite clearly.
RIP, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela: Anti-apartheid campaigner dies at 81 by BBC News Africa, 2 April 2018:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-43621112?ocid=socialflow_facebook&ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbcnews&ns_source=facebook
Winnie Mandela, South African anti-apartheid crusader, dies at 81 by Hilary Clarke, Robyn Curnow and David McKenzie, CNN, Mon April 2, 2018:
https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/02/africa/winnie-mandela-south-africa-intl/index.html
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