Thursday, April 19, 2018

ANC Statement Following the National Official Funeral of Mama Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
15th April 2018

Yesterday, Saturday, 14th April 2018, our country, South Africa and the world paused to pay homage to one of its most distinguished daughters and Mother of the Nation, Mama Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.

The African National Congress (ANC) thanks its members and everybody across the length and breadth of our country and beyond our borders for lending a hand in giving our stalwart and leader, Mama Winnie Mandela. such a revolutionary and dignified send-off on her final journey.

The ANC commends South Africans for individually and collectively sharing the burden of pain and loss with the Madikizela and Mandela families. As the ANC we know, based on our own history, that when shared the burden becomes lighter. The nation and the world's solidarity with the family in their moment of loss made it easier for us and the family to contend with this monumental loss. South Africans, through their support during her last miles into immortality, made a resounding statement of embracing Winnie as their leader and the embodiment of their aspirations.

14 April 2018, marked a new era that will be regarded as post-Winnie Mandela era in our country. It will, among other things, focus on the struggle to defeat partriachy and the emancipation of our country from poverty, inequality and gender oppression. As we enter the era of intensified struggles for economic emancipation, we are inspired by Mama Winnie Madikizela-Mandela who, not only embodied the ideals of economic justice for all, but also fought with uncompromising resilience for the aspirations of the downtrodden masses of our people.

We would like to thank our government, the army, the police, the emergency services, the media, all political parties and, most importantly, South Africans and the international community and leaders for their support and solidarity during our moment of collective grief. To the family we want to say: They remain an important part of our nation. We will continue to work with them to preserve and advance the proud and revolutionary legacy of Mama Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.

As the ANC and the country, we owe our Mother of the Nation and her family a debt of gratitude that we will never be able to repay in our lifetime.

May her revolutionary spirit and legacy continue to live among us.

Issued by the African National Congress

Enquiries:
Pule Mabe
0716234975
National Spokesperson

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