President Cyril Ramaphosa Remembers Winnie Madikizela-Mandela on Her 86th Birthday: “The Mother of Our Nation”

• African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa honoured struggle icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
• The mother of the nation would have celebrated her 86th birthday on Monday, 26 September
• The president described Madikizela-Mandela as a courageous and brave woman who “never sold out” or weakened

SOWETO - African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa made a touching tribute to struggle icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela on what would have been her 86th birthday. The celebration was held in her hometown in Soweto on Monday, 26 September.

Ramaphosa delivered the keynote address on Madikizela-Mandela’s birthday and hailed her as a woman of stature. He said the stalwart never sold out during the struggle for freedom in the country.

The ANC leader said citizens could continue to draw from Madikizela-Mandela’s life and continue to strive for the betterment of citizens. According to SABC News, Ramaphosa said the struggle icon endured everything the apartheid regime could do to her.

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Mama Winnie was described by the president as a courageous and brave woman who “never sold out” or weakened. He said that Madikizela-Mandela was a rock that enabled South Africa to move its struggle forward.

“She suffered a great deal, she suffered in detention, she was banished and all the things the apartheid regime could do against an individual woman, they did against her but Mama Winnie stood firm,” said Ramaphosa.

According to News24, the event was to honour the “freedom fighter and mother of our nation”. Madikizela-Mandela died at a Johannesburg hospital at the age of 81 in April 2018.

South Africans celebrate Mama Winnie:

@Womensdayclub said:

“You heard the crowds when he speaks. Listen to the crowd when Cyril Ramaphosa speaks #WinnieMadikizelaMandela spirit lives in us all. She is not gone, she multiplied.”

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EFF pays homage to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela through heartfelt posthumous birthday tweet

@BlackdiasporaV1 commented:

“Happy birthday to the revolutionary mother Winnie Mandela.”

EFF pays homage to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela through heartfelt posthumous birthday tweet

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema shared a touching tribute to late Apartheid veteran Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. The Red Berets leader shared a post on Twitter wishing Mandela a revolutionary happy birthday on Monday, 26 September.

Madikizela-Mandela, the ex-wife of former President Nelson Mandela, died at 81 on 2 April 2018. Though her legacy is fraught with controversy, The EFF and their leader have always had a soft spot for the late struggle veteran.

Malema’s Tweet shows his affection for Madikizela-Mandela, with the EFF leader wishing “the Mother of the Nation” a happy birthday.

Source: Briefly News