Nomzamo Winifred Zanyiwe Madikizela-Mandela

I can hear the words of power coming from her mouth right now, "amandla amandla!"  Born 26 Sept 1936 and given the Xhosa name Nomzamo meaning "Trial" which almost seeems as a prophecy more than just a name.  She met Nelson Mandela in 1957, they married in 1958 and fought the great fight against apartheid in South Africa, she coming out as a leader in the African National Congress (ANC) during her husband's 27 year incarceration on Robben Island and her own exile to the Orange Free State.  Her trials continued in 1991 through accusations of kidnapping and assault for which she was convicted and given a suspended 6 year sentence and fined.  She was tried  and convicted in April 2003 for 43 counts of fraud and 25 counts of theft which were overturned in 2004, the judge sited that "crimes were not committed for personal gain."  In 2007 the Canadian High Commission in South Africa denied her a visa to visit Toronto, Canada to attend a world premiere of the opera The Passion of Winnie based on her life and trials.  On July 5th, 2008 she lost a bid to become president of the African National Congress Women's League (ANCWL).

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela is indeed an woman of power!  We should continue to speak her name and speak of her as one of our heroes.  Unfortunately, all to often politicians, like Jessie Jackson Jr (repudiating his father recently), Sen. Barack Obama (repudiating Rev Jeremiah Wright) and Nelson Mandela will bend and compromise much to meet their political goals.  Nelson Mandela divorced his wife/queen that stood by him during his nearly 3 decade stay in prison and as soon as politically expediant he dumped her.  Fortunately she still fights for the people standing against the anti immigrant riots taking place in South Africa today,  going so far as to offer her home to people that were victims of the immigrant riots in South Africa, while fleeing from the genocide in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Comments

[rawdawgbuffalo]

i was always down with the pac
one settler one bullet

[[Victor Amenta]]

T, thanks for coming through. That was the attitude needed at that time.

[BlackWomenBlowTheTrumpet.blogspot.com]

Hey there!

Thank you so much for this tribute!

I am deeply inspired by her legacy of greatness... the media in her country attempted to assassinate her character so that she would not be influential in her homeland...too many blacks in this country believed the negative "hype" and it's a shame!

She will always BE one of the greatest revolutionaries of our time!

Peace, blessings and DUNAMIS!
Lisa

[[Victor Amenta]]

Rev. Lisa, thanks for coming by and putting it straight out she is one of our GREATEST REVOLUTIONARIES OF THIS TIME!!!