Cathedral farewell to an icon
ST GEORGE’S Cathedral was packed to capacity as hundreds of people came to pay their respects to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela at a memorial service yesterday.
The service was the first to be held in the country since maWinnie passed away in Johannesburg on Monday.
Mourners laid flowers at a special display at the entrance of the cathedral to honour maWinnie.
The National Association of Social Workers of South Africa sent a message to the church: “In comrade Winnie we have lost a giant. She had definitely set a high standard for our profession.”
Cape Town Archbishop Thabo Makgoba also sent a message: “She was a sister, a mother and a grandmother to many others. We acknowledge the good she did for women, children and South Africa.”
Renowned musicians, radio and TV personalities, politicians and activists also attended the ceremony.
Among them were Deputy Speaker of Parliament Lechesa Tsenoli, regional secretary of the Western Cape region of Cosatu Tony Ehrenreich, singer Jennifer Ferguson, award-winning journalist Zubeida Jaffer, Judge Siraj Desai, former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor and Mayor Patricia de Lille.
Mentor told the mourners maWinnie was left to “hang dry” by her own comrades.
To loud applause, she said: “Winnie Mandela never killed Stompie Seipei. Winnie Mandela never plotted... the killing of Stompie. Neither a court of law, nor the Truth and Reconciliation, (Commission) could link Winnie directly to have planned or orchestrated... the killing of Seipei.
“It is a lie, it is a fallacy that has been orchestrated for decades.”
Jaffer chimed with many who had come to pay their respects to the Struggle icon, saying: “This is sadness hanging over us. Within her she had so many patterns each and every one of us can relate to.
“This week and the next two weeks gives us an opportunity to reflect on our destination as a country. We are in that moment when we have to consider which direction we have to go.
“We are, like maWinnie, distance runners and daily we are practising to be kind.”