Farewell to the mother of the nation
SA lays to rest an icon and freedom fighter
On 14 April, the mother of the nation was laid to rest at an official state funeral at Orlando Stadium.The admiration of the iconic and courageous Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was clearly reflected in the words, songs and tears of the thousands who attended. President Cyril Ramaphosa joined family members and government leadership in paying powerful tributes to this one-of-kind woman.
President Cyril Ramaphosa
“Just as we are burdened by the sorrow of her death‚ so too are we comforted by the richness and profound meaning of her life.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered a touching eulogy to Madikizela-Mandela, focusing on a life of service to all those around her.
“She trained and worked as one who provides support and care and comfort to those most deeply affected by poverty‚ hunger and illness.Yet‚ like many of the great leaders of her generation‚ she understood that the suffering she encountered did not happen on the edges of society. Such suffering defined society.”
Ramaphosa said that she had
been fearless in her conviction to fight for the oppressed.
“She saw for herself the deliberate intent of the apartheid rulers to impoverish the people of this country. Her conscience‚ her convictions‚ left her with no choice but to resist. She felt compelled to join a struggle that was as noble in its purpose as it was perilous in its execution. She felt compelled to pick up the spear where it had fallen. It was a spear that‚ throughout the darkest moments of our struggle‚ she wielded with great courage‚ unequivocal commitment and incredible skill.”
Zenani Mandela-Dlamini
“She dared to take on one of the most powerful and evil regimes of the past century and she triumphed.”
Speaking on behalf of the family, the daughter of Madikizela-Mandela and former President Nelson Mandela, Zenani Mandela-Dlamini, said that her mother had been a role model to all who witnessed her actions.
“For those of us who’ve been close to her‚ we have always appreciated just how much she meant to the world. But even we were unprepared for the scale of the outpouring of love and personal testimonies from so many. From the rising generation‚ which is too young to have been around when my mother took on the Apartheid State‚ to those who hail from the African Diaspora‚ we have been reminded of how she touched so many‚ in ways that are so deeply personal,” she said.
Mandela-Dlamini said that, even with the weight of a nation on her shoulders, her mother never forgot her family and her community.
“When we were with her‚ she did not even have to say anything: her love for us was written on her face. But because she had such a big heart‚ my mother could also love the community where she lived‚ no matter where that was. So that when she was banished to Brandfort‚ she immersed herself in the affairs of this little community and improved the lives of the people‚ who‚ in turn‚ received her with so much love,” she added.
Zondwa Mandela
“She was one of us, she was one of you. She was one of the people. She was just a woman who dared to survive.”
Delivering the grandchildren’s message, Zondwa Mandela reminded every South African that his grandmother had become the force she was simply by being herself.
“The story of Winnie Madikizela Mandela lives on in all the women who wake up every day carving out a life and a livelihood for themselves. It lives on in your stories. When we tell the story of her, I hope it is to remind our children that to be a hero, you only need to be yourself. She was, above all, remarkable herself,” he said.
Mandela recalled how Madikizela-Mandela had always taught her family to stand tall.
“I grew up watching her unflinching courage in the face of confrontation. She did not give up, she did not cower away; she stood tall, she taught me and all her children to stand tall. We are all blessed to have had her wisdom and counsel – the void she leaves is gaping,” he added.
Bathabile Dlamini
“She spoke the truth and remained the moral compass of our movement and our country.”
Speaking on behalf of the ANC Women’s League. Dlamini said that Madikizela-Mandela was one of the greatest heroines the world has ever seen.
“Mam’ Winnie was one of the greatest liberators and heroines the world over and she will always be. South Africa will never have another Mother of the Nation. South Africa will never have a woman who sacrificed all she had – her beautiful daughters; her family; her heart; her everything to ensure that South
Africa becomes a better country and a better world,” she said.
Gauteng Premier David Makhura
“We miss her warm embrace‚ her wise counsel‚ her loyal protection and compassion. We are weeping but we are not broken.”
Premier Makhura said that Madikizela-Mandela’s actions will echo on.
“She personified the true meaning of the phrase ‘speaking truth to power’. She was never silent in times of challenge and controversy. Mama Winnie was the most authentic voice in the people’s war against apartheid tyranny. Human mortality is too weak to put her down because a powerful and defiant voice still echoes today. Mama Winnie did not die but has multiplied,” he said.
Makhura urged all South Africans to follow Winnie’s example.
“Can we all multiply in our hearts and in our practical actions as we continue to strive for a deeper meaning of freedom and democracy in our country,” he added.
Namibian President Hage Geingob
“A woman who did not choose to be larger than life, but through her selfless actions, became a towering figure in the liberation struggle.”
President Geingob said that Madikizela-Mandela remained firmly grounded despite her prominence.
“What distinguished her from her peers was that Comrade Winnie never elevated herself above the people. In her own words, 'I am the product of the masses of my country, and a product of my enemy'. She remained rooted to the people of South Africa, even when she assumed higher responsibilities,” he said.
President Geingob further invited Madikizela-Mandela’s family to come to Namibia to accept “the country’s highest civilian honour”.
In the capital city of Windhoek, discussions are currently underway to name a street after MadikizelaMandela.
Naomi Campbell
“She was always striving for equality and to keep South Africa at the forefront of people’s thoughts.”
Campbell, who became a close personal friend of Madikizela-Mandela, spoke about the unforgettable images of Nelson Mandela’s release after 27 years of imprisonment.
“Who does not remember the image of Winnie and Madiba hand-in-hand on that day? Every decent person in the world celebrated what was a new day for South Africa and a pivotal moment in world history.That victory against Apartheid was a new equality. Would it have been possible without Winnie? I think not,” she said.
Campbell said that MadikizelaMandela had taught all women to push the limits of what was possible.
“She taught us not to be limited in our thoughts, reminding us to always stay true to who we are. Winnie helped us overcome our fears, and gave us courage to dig deep, discover things about ourselves and always strive for freedom,” she added.
As her coffin was carried out of the jam-packed Orlando Stadium to the chants of tens of thousands of people, no-one could possibly deny that Winnie MadikizelaMandela was boundlessly loved, respected and admired. Rest in peace, Mama Winnie, South Africa will miss you.