Celebrating Mama Winnie’s birthday
The birthday party which was also attended by the leadership of the ANC in the region and province was held at the anti-apartheid struggle icon’s home in Orlando West.
President Cyril Ramaphosa joined the ANC Women’s League and Sowetans for Mama Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s posthumous 86th birthday celebration on Monday.
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The birthday party which was also attended by the leadership of the ANC in the region and province was held at the anti-apartheid struggle icon’s home in Orlando West.
The family had invited 86 local elderly women to celebrate with them the birthday of Mama Winnie but hundreds showed up from across Orlando West and other parts of Soweto.
Addressing the gathering, President Ramaphosa said Mama Winnie’s name and her contribution to the struggle against apartheid will always be remembered.
“It is an honour to be invited here to celebrate, and remember Mama Winnie’s life and work. I remember that every year for her birthday she would invite people to come celebrate with her and today that is exactly what we are doing,” said the president.
In keeping up with the home being a place of memory, Mama Winnie’s daughter, Zenani Mandela announced that the house will be turned into a museum.
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“I want to tell the community today that my mother’s house will be turned into a museum. Not to honour her alone but all the South African women who are known and not known,” Said Zenani adding that the house will continue to be a sanctuary for all Sowetans.
The president also used the birthday celebration to talk about the energy crisis and load shedding which has gripped the country for weeks now.
He said government is exploring all available avenues to fix Eskom and possibly put an end to load shedding. The president did not want to give timelines as to when the solution to the crisis may be found.
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