The Winnie Mandela collection
Winnie Madikizela Mandela is Nelson Mandela’s second wife; social worker, activist cognoscenti and one of the most beautiful women in the world. Very few women have gone through what Winnie has gone through and remained standing. She endured 27 years of her husband’s incarceration by the South African apartheid regime, and endured many months of solitary confinement. She has been banished, arrested, tried, jailed, declared a fugitive and accused of murder and infidelity. Today Winnie Mandela lives in Soweto amongst her people and continues to be influential in the South African polity. At 78, she still strikes the picture of the woman who became synonymous with the struggle. Her fight against apartheid well documented. Her place in spite of nay sayers is assured in history. In 1991 when Mandela was finally released from 27 years of captivity for daring to request for better treatment for his people, Winnie walked the freedom path with him, hands in the air in the famous South Africa Salute. Beautiful as ever, sure footed, a warm smile radiating all around. Again Winnie Mandela captured the world in those images that went viral. Winnie never wavered using every possible means to get the world’s attention for her incarcerated husband. It will be hard to wipe out her single mindedness and her unparalleled role in keeping the “free Mandela” narrative alive. While several other groups contributed to finally getting Nelson Mandela released, Winnie will forever remain the face of the struggle. In 1991, writing for the New Africa of London, I was vociferous about my total disagreement with Mandela for divorcing his wife Winnie. The jury is still out about whether he did the right thing. Winnie is a woman I admire greatly and still do. Having just returned from a visit to Soweto where she lives and visited the Mandela house which Winnie has restored as a museum, I wish to celebrate Winnie Mandela with five iconic books.