Mama Winnie hailed by Namibia

Land activist and former Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) secretary for information, publicity and mobilisation, Job Amupanda, has joined the outpouring of grief that has become an avalanche in the aftermath of the death of South African icon and struggle leader, Nomzamo Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. The defiant and outspoken ex-wife of Nelson Mandela died on Easter Monday at the Netcare Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg. Her death was confirmed by her personal assistant, Zodwa Zwane. The cause was a “long-term illness”, according to her family.A state funeral will take place on 14 April. She had been banned, brutalised and character assassinated by the apartheid regime, but stood firm and encouraged generations of freedom fighters, and lately the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) opposition party in South Africa.The radical EFF, led by Madikizela-Malema favourite Julius Malema, who had remained at her side even when she slipped from public gaze, is at the forefront of calls to implement the Freedom Charter and its associated goals of free education, the nationalisation of mines and land redistribution to the poor and landless. Amupanda, who was at the forefront of calls by the youth league in 2014 to have Bismarck Street in Windhoek renamed in honour of Madikizela-Mandela, said she was a staunch challenger patriarchy and an inspiration. He said young Namibian girls should emulate her, echoing the ANC Women's League, which Madikizela-Mandela once led.The women's league said she will forever remain an encouraging figure in the fight against patriarchy and male chauvinism in and outside politics.Amupanda said: “You find many freedom fighters, those that have served in the kitchen and then those brave ones that have confronted the battle lines. Winnie was brave. She is symbol of women emancipation and was a staunch challenger of patriarchy.”During Nelson Mandela's 27-year incarceration, Madikizela-Mandela campaigned tirelessly for his release and for the rights of the downtrodden and oppressed masses in her country, while establishing a massive following that saw her many times after liberation being elected as number one on her party's national executive committee. He political ambitions, if she had any, were stymied by swirling controversies, which have been blamed on the apartheid regime apparatus that targeted her and on patriarchal attitudes within the ruling African National Congress (ANC). The ANC is yet to elect a female party president. “We have no guns - we have only stones, boxes of matches and petrol,” she told a township crowd during the height of her mesmerising public oratory. She and Mandela divorced in 1996, two years into his term as South Africa's first democratically elected head of state.Swapo Party Women's Council (SPWC) secretary Eunice Iipinge said the ruling party is deeply saddened by the passing of “the late Winnie”. She described her as a genuine revolutionary and added that Namibians will be consoled by the rich legacy of the late freedom fighter.“Swapo and the ANC has shared the same struggles against apartheid and their loss is our loss. We are deeply saddened by the passing of their mother,” she said, in reference to Madikizela-Mandela's much-loved “Mother of the Nation” tag. “She was a strong woman who was committed to her principles and never wavered. She was as a strong pillar for her party during the liberation struggle. Her legacy is a rich heritage for Africans, and in particular women,” said Iipinge. Namibian politician Elma Dienda said Madikizela-Mandela's contribution to politics makes her undeniably the mother of South Africa and a towering inspiration for other female leaders. “Winnie encouraged me to go into politics. The manner in which she dealt with things, she was fearless. It is because of women like Winnie that we can do what we do,” said Dienda. JEMIMA BEUKES

Mama Winnie hailed by Namibia

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-05-06

Please login to leave a comment

Mama Winnie hailed by Namibia

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-05-06

Please login to leave a comment

Login