Remembering Winnie

“Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was such a fascinating character. She embodied everything that was great about the ANC and then, after power, some of the ANC’s weaknesses too. She overturned stereotypes and was heroic. She exemplified the independence of women in a broadly patriarchal society and broke the mould. She was filled with contradictions; she led an extravagant lifestyle but she was a champion for the poorest of the poor, who loved and admired her. She was a complex character and her contradictions made her so interesting and such a great leader. One cannot but admire her courage and her steadfast belief in the struggle for liberation” — Denis Goldberg