Young women must take the baton from mama uWinnie
Kwatsaduza pays their last respect to mama uWinnie Madikizela Mandela
KwaThema – Mourners from in and around KwaThema shared their experiences and encounters with the late mama uWinnie Madikizela-Mandela at KwaThema Community Hall on Friday.
This was part of the zonal programmes held to commemorate the fallen hero who fought the apartheid security police.
Madikizela-Mandela passed away at the age of 81 on April 2.
Member of the ANC regional executive committee Jongizizwe Dlabathi reminded the mourners of the impact mama played to achieve freedom.
Also read: A fiery send-off for the mother of the nation Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
“To honour mama, we need to take the baton from her and other fallen heroes and take it forward.
“We should ensure that their fights were not in vain by serving our people selflessly, as they did,” he says.
Dlabathi adds the municipality was privileged to have developed a long-standing relationship with the late Mama uWinnie.
“During the 1980’s mama uWinnie helped setup self-defense units in various townships in and around the former East Rand, as a response to the sporadic violence during the apartheid era.
“She cast her vote on 27 April 1994 in Phola Park, Tokoza, East Rand, as a result of her close activism in the area.
“She was granted with the highest honor by the City of Ekurhuleni, The Freedom of the City award, for her contribution to our liberation struggle. ANC REC member Nomadlozi Nkosi also reminded the crowd that mama Winnie sacrificed her entire life in the struggle for the liberation of her people.
“As women, we must learn from mama uWinnie. She remained firm and resolute in what she believed in.
“She didn’t allow the apartheid security police to deter her from her cause.
“She didn’t allow patriarchy to stop her in her tracks no matter where she was moved in the country in an attempt to stop her from fighting and mobilising the residents to fight against the struggle,” she says.
Nomadlozi says we should all be encouraged by her courage in fighting the apartheid government head-on.
Resident Maria Skhosana says the country has lost a woman who was not afraid of speaking her mind and fighting for what she believed in.
“Young women must learn from her courageous ways.
“Growing up we were motivated to fight under her leadership,” she says.
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