‘Mama Winnie was a very courageous person,’ says Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa honoured what would have been African National Congress (ANC) activist Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s 86th birthday on Monday.

Speaking at a celebration which took place in Orlando West in Soweto, Ramaphosa said that her name would “forever be imprinted in our hearts”.

“Today we honour not only Mam’ Winnie Madikizela Mandela, but we honour all those women who were fearless, all those women who were courageous, all those women who made a selfless contribution towards our struggle for liberation. Through you, her spirit lives on.”

Today we honour not only Mam’ Winnie Madikizela Mandela, but we honour all those women who were fearless, all those women who were courageous, all those women who made a selfless contribution towards our struggle for liberation. Through you, her spirit lives on. pic.twitter.com/YSR1ZdwhGN

— Cyril Ramaphosa ???????? (@CyrilRamaphosa) September 26, 2022

“Mama Winnie was a very courageous person. She was brave, courageous but she also had a big heart. It is good to remember that her career was a social worker but more than that, she was also a people worker.

“She worked for the people of our country. More than many others we can think of. That is what she did. That was her talent – Mama was gifted she was gifted and she let everyone into her heart. And that is why we will always remember her,” said Ramaphosa.

To further honour the struggle veteran, Ramaphosa said another “Vilakazi Street” will be created to support development and the township economy in Soweto.

She died after suffering from long illness at the Netcare Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg on 2 April 2018 at the age of 81.

Madikizela-Mandela was held in solitary confinement, tortured, and victimised continuously without breaks for days by apartheid security police.

At one time, she served 491 days in prison and while students were fighting the racist apartheid and colonial education policies in 1976, she was among those who sheltered, picked up the bodies and comforted their families. Political parties were banned in South Africa.

“Mama was arrested, banned, spent sixteen months in detention, faced numerous trials, and banished far from her home and loved ones to Brandfort in the Free State. She was held in solitary confinement,  tortured, and  interrogated  continuously and without breaks for days on end by apartheid police security and suffered a heart condition,” said the EFF in a statement.

On what would have been the 85th birthday of Mama Winnie the EFF on 26 September 2021 unveiled its Headquarters named Winnie Madikizela Mandela House

-your actions speak directly to why she had so much time & respect for the EFF. Zenani Mandela-Dlamini #EFFHonoursWinnieMandela pic.twitter.com/G5hlmDBPUP— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) September 26, 2022

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