Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has died

Nomzamo Winifred Madikizela-Mandela‚ died at the Netcare Milpark Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa on Monday.

According to the family, Madikizela-Mandela died after a long illness, for which she had been in and out of hospital since the start of the year. She succumbed peacefully in the early hours of Monday afternoon surrounded by her family and loved ones.

The statement read; “Mrs Madikizela-Mandela was one of the greatest icons of the struggle against Apartheid. She fought valiantly against the Apartheid state and sacrificed her life for the freedom of the country. Her activism and resistance to Apartheid landed her in jail on numerous occasions, eventually causing her banishment to the small town of Brandfort in the then Orange Free State.”

According to her family, Madikizela-Mandela kept the memory of her imprisoned husband Nelson Mandela alive during his years on Robben Island and helped give the Struggle for justice in South Africa one its most recognisable faces.

“She dedicated most of her adult life to the cause of the people and for this was known far and wide as the Mother Of The Nation, In 2016‚ she was conferred an Order of Luthuli in Silver during the National Orders Awards ceremony for her excellent contribution to the fight for the liberation of the people of South Africa.

“Even as our hearts break at her passing, we urge all those who loved her to celebrate this most remarkable woman,” they said.

The family will release details of the memorial and funeral services once these have been finalised.