SA Remembers Complex Love Story of Winnie and Nelson Mandela Ahead of Mandela Day

• Nelson and Winnie Madikizela Mandela’s relationship was a significant and complex one until the late ‘90s
• The pair married in 1958 after Nelson’s first divorce and had two daughters together, who were primarily raised by their mother
• South Africans remembered the Black power couple’s love story ahead of Mandela Day on Friday the 18th of July

Winnie and Nelson Mandela were married for almost four decades. Before the Obamas, the Mandelas were the ultimate Black power couple.

The lovers each had a strong passion for politics and were heavily involved in the fight against apartheid. Because they were apart for most of their marriage, they ended up getting a divorce in 1996.

South Africans shared that Nelson did Madikizela dirty for throwing away almost 40 years of marriage, and believed that he could have done better for her and their two daughters. A TikTokker reminisced about the couple’s good times together in a now-viral post.

SA remembers Winnie and Nelson’s love story 

Winnie and Nelson Mandela were the ultimate Black power couple of South Africa in the late ‘50s to late ‘90s. The pair were a beacon of hope to many people in the country, especially during the struggle.

They passionately fought for freedom and spent most of their 38 years of marriage apart. Winnie raised their two daughters and also being a prominent advocate for freedom in South Africa, while Nelson was in jail.

Annually, on Nelson Mandela’s birthday, July 18th, Mzansi celebrates the struggle hero. This year, however, the people of South Africa chose to also remember Winnie, who is better known as the Mother of the Nation. A page on TikTok, @soshethinks, posted pictures of the couple before their divorce, with the caption:

“One of South Africa's most famous yet complicated love stories is that of Nelson and Winnie Mandela, who shared intense love, faced hardship together, and endured agonising separation.

“For 27 years, Nelson and Winnie lived separate lives, connected by love, letters, and longing. But time, trauma, and politics changed them both. When Nelson was released in 1990, they were reunited, hand in hand, walking out of Victor Verster Prison. This moment became legendary. However, behind the image, the cracks had grown.

“Winnie had turned into a powerful yet controversial figure. Accusations of violence and political conflict followed her. Nelson, now focused on reconciliation and becoming South Africa's first democratic president, chose a different path; one that was more peaceful and conciliatory. In 1992, Nelson and Winnie separated. Their divorce was finalised in 1996.

“The love story between Nelson and Winnie Mandela is one of South Africa's most iconic yet complex relationships. It is marked by deep love, shared struggle, painful separation, and ultimately, heartbreaking distance. Their love story was never just about two individuals. It was about a people, a country, and a revolution.”

See the TikTok post below:

SA remembers Winnie and Nelson Mandela’s love story 

Social media users expressed their sadness about the couple’s divorce in 1996:

@lesedii._king commented:

“He did her wrong, and yet she held him down.”

@Nqonqo said:

“I feel so much pain for Winnie... I can't imagine the pain she must have gone through being betrayed by the love of her life.”

@Didi shared:

“She held the fort only for him to make someone else the first lady.”

@r.3baa wrote:

“She waited for him, only for him to marry another woman.”

@LaurenB thought:

“He left her in the desert without water.”

@Nonhlanhla🫧🪽commented:

“He didn’t deserve her. RIP To MY QUEEN.”

@〽️org🅰️n commented:

“He cheated on her, yes our 'hero' did that. My heart aches for her, she wasn't given the recognition she needed.”

3 More stories related to the Mandelas by Briefly News

• Winnie Madikizela-Mandela holds a unique position in South African politics, both during her lifetime and after.
• Former South African President Nelson Mandela's grandchild has embarked on his political career.
• Five suspects arrested at Nelson Mandela's Houghton home appeared in court, and their case was postponed to 17 January.

Source: Briefly News