Teary Machel remembers ‘big sister’ Madikizela-Mandela
Unable to hold back the tears, Graca Machel shared her concern for the late Madikizela-Mandela’s two daughters who are now facing life without their mother.
JOHANNESBURG - Graça Machel has paid tribute to the late Winnie Madikizela-Mandela on Monday afternoon, saying South Africans often wait until it’s too late to honour the country's heroes.
She's remembering the woman she affectionately calls “her big sister” at an event being hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation at Constitution Hill.
South Africa is observing 10 days of mourning after the death of the freedom fighter last Monday at the age of 81.
Unable to hold back the tears, Machel shared her concern for the late Madikizela-Mandela’s two daughters who are now facing life without their mother.
She also reflected on the late struggle stalwart’s fight for education.
Machel says Madikizela-Mandela was able to support young people during the nationwide Fees Must Fall marches and citizens can do so much more.
Singers Thandiswa Mazwai, also known as King Tha, and Yvonne Chaka Chaka are set to give performances as part of Monday’s tribute.
#WinnieMandela Graca Machel says Mama Winnie’s children had little upbringing with their father. She says Winnie’s children leaned on their mother for most of their lives. She says they grew up with spaces in their personalities because it was not an ordinary family. [KS] pic.twitter.com/P5kLCp9Zde
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) April 9, 2018
#WinnieMadikizelaMandela #MandelaFoundation Speaking now is former First Lady Graca Machel who says as a nation we tend to only wake up and acknowledge the people who have sacrificed for us when they leave. [KS] pic.twitter.com/I1OBGVenOe
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) April 9, 2018
#WinnieMadikizelaMandela #MandelaFoundation Nelson Mandela’s oldest granddaughter Ndileka Mandela can’t hold back the tears as she talks about Mama Winnie. [KS] pic.twitter.com/SCmqsqEbpb
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) April 9, 2018
#WinnieMandela #MandelaFoundation King Tha on stage singing her two well known songs ‘Jikijela’ and ‘Nizalwa Ngobani’. [KS] pic.twitter.com/hCW9sFrq3G
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) April 9, 2018
Meanwhile, as local film producer Anant Singh played a video depicting the life of the woman affectionately known as Mama Winnie, many in the audience shed a few tears.
Foundation board member Nikiwe Bikitsha says Madikizela-Mandela was not made by former president Nelson Mandela, although their lives were inextricably linked.
“While we celebrate the fruits of democracy and freedom, she continued to carry the burden of those forgotten and left behind by the winds of change.”
Former finance minister Trevor Manuel and struggle stalwart George Bizos were also in attendance.
