Winnie kept revolution alive

THE EDITOR: Recently, we as a people, had the opportunity to renew our acquaintance with a great man of our times. A freedom fighter who fought for all liberty loving people; the man who brought peace to a troubled land — yes, we were indeed honoured by the visit of our beloved man of the moment — former President Nelson Mandela. Such is the greatness and humility of this gentleman, that in response to our honouring of his works, he reminded us that he was just one of the many contributors to freedom in South Africa. One such person whom he told us made a significant contribution to the success of the struggles of the South African people was Winnie Mandela.

Yes, Winifred Madikizela-Mandela. Winnie Mandela as she became to be known, successfully completed a BA degree (political science) majoring in international relations at the university in Johannesburg. Her extraordinary life has been marked by a systematic process of harassment from then South African political regime and by constant separations from those she loved. Throughout most of her adult life, Winnie Mandela has had to endure a forced separation from her husband ANC President Nelson Mandela, who spent 26 years of his life on Robben Island. Winnie Mandela’s involvement in the South African liberation struggle dates back to the ’50s. Her first detention was in 1958. Five years later she was arrested in Cape Town on a visit to her husband Nelson Mandela. She spent one month at the prison known as the Fort. In 1969 she became one of the first detainees under Section 6 of the notorious Terrorism Act. Winnie Mandela spent till September 1975 in prison in Kroonstad. In 1976, following her activities during a school uprising she again served six months at “Number 4” (The Fort). On May 16, 1977 she was exiled, taken directly from her prison cell, to Brandfort for nine years.

Here, her house was bombed twice and she was once again arrested for defying her restriction order and returning to Johannesburg. Winnie Mandela’s courage and leadership abilities have triumphed over years of political harassment, severe personal pain and a wave of media controversy. Ms Winnie Mandela was the voice in the wilderness crying out to her people, pleading that the Promised Land is at hand. She did not know when the leader would ever be able to take that giant step to the Promised Land. Yet, she worked hard at keeping the spirit of the revolution alive. It was her effort and name, which helped in keeping the Mandela’s name alive. But when the leader finally came to take his people to the Promised Land like John the Baptist, Ms Winnie Mandela was martyred. We must not forget her. We must not forget that she contributed to the final victory of the freedom loving people of South Africa. May God continue to bless all our hard working and committed women (mothers) of our nation and the world as a whole.

COLVIN BLAIZE
Chaguanas