#AllBlackWithADoek in a tribute to maWinnie
THE #AllBlackWithADoek tribute to the late maWinnie Madikizela-Mandela was so successful it lasted throughout the weekend.
Women took to social media to post their tributes dressed in black only, wearing colourful doeks and posing with their fists raised.
Selfies, office group pictures, videos of people singing and pictures of maWinnie were posted all over social media platforms and at events countrywide, using the hashtag #IamWinnieMandela.
Outside Luthuli House, the ANC’s headquarters in Joburg, a group of women gathered to sing Struggle songs, dressed in black and wearing ANC head wraps in honour of maWinnie.
Yesterday, the staff were also getting the Tribute Wall ready for its unveiling today.
An All-Black Night tribute concert was held at Newtown Music Factory (old Bassline) on Friday. Performances by Zahara, Simphiwe Dana, Ringo Madlingozi, Zwai Bala, Deborah Fraser, Sipho Hotstix Mabuse, Amanda Black and Amadodana Ase Wesile, among others, filled those in attendance with the spirit of maWinnie.
Nomzamo Mbatha and Thuso Mbedu performed monologues on stage.
Mbatha, dressed in Xhosa regalia, recreated a time when maWinnie wrote a letter to Nelson Mandela at the height of apartheid.
“Prison has made me strong. I want to fight, I want to free our people from a white government.
“The police harass me daily, but every day I wonder if I will ever see our girls again.
“Nelson, our daughters live in fear, they already know the lost presence of not having a father. I will not have it with me too… I cannot understand how they continue to have so much strength, with us locked away…
“They will not allow me to continue my duties as a social worker, but I will continue my role in the ANC.
“My love, we are so lucky and so blessed to be surrounded by people and neighbours who are helping us through this difficult time…
“Nelson, I’ve only had a little time to love you… I want to watch you raise your children, but most of all I want to fight, that’s what I want to do.”
Mbedu did a monologue as Zindzi Mandela: “When my father speaks, he speaks not only for himself, he speaks for every single person who went to jail because of apartheid.
“He speaks for every single person who vanished, every single person who went into exile, every single person who struggles under apartheid.”
The event was filled to capacity, an indication of what is to come at the memorial services.
Today is day six of the 10-day mourning period declared by the ANC. Activities include memorial services at the Standard Bank Arena and in Bizana in the Eastern Cape.
The main memorial service is on Wednesday in Soweto.
MaWinnie will be buried on Saturday.