Since
the demise of Nelson Mandela, not many people seem to remember, acknowledge or
even know that his erstwhile wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, was a top heroine
of the Black South African struggles against the evil of apartheid.
Here
is a woman who suffered what most women could only experience in a nightmare. Early
in her marriage to Nelson Mandela, she had to bid the man bye as he sneaked out
of the country to go seek the support of other African leaders. And before she
could say “welcome” to her husband upon his return, he was arrested and jailed for
life.
All
through Mandela’s incarceration, Winnie was not only stuck with the kids but
was constantly harassed, dehumanized and finally exiled for her steadfast support
for her jailed husband and, especially, for her role in the fight against
apartheid.
There
was a time in the struggle that some men in the ANC were said to envy the woman
for her “daredevil” courage in standing up to the ruthless secret police of the
apartheid era.
Unfortunately,
she overreached herself!
There
was the allegation that Winnie ordered the death of Stompie Seipei, a 14-year-old
teenager that was beaten and, later had his throat slit. The boy, a member of
the Mandela’s Football Club, was suspected of leaking vital information to the secret
police who were out to get Winnie at all costs.
But
the worst blow to the legacy (and marriage) of this once powerful woman was the
love affair she was widely rumored to have had with Dali Mpofu, an ANC lawyer.
In
view of these errors, the ANC (among who were her envious detractors) decided
to expel her from the party. And so…all her great accomplishments (including
personal sacrifices) in the struggles against the apartheid regime was wiped
off...just like that!
One
can only hope that, in the final analysis, posterity will be kind to Winnie
Madikizela-Mandela for her great roles and the personal sacrifices she made in
the struggles for emancipation of the Black South Africans from the evil clutches
of apartheid.
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