By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed struggle icon, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela a woman of stature who never sold out during the struggle for freedom in South Africa.
Ramaphosa was part of the birthday celebrations of the late stalwart, at her home in Soweto this on Monday afternoon.
He said the Madikizela-Mandela memorial was “a really happy moment for us [as the ANC]”.
“To come and remember the mother of the nation, who would have turned 86 years today.
“[I] would like to greet and thank the Mandela family, who made this day possible for us. If they had not had this event, then we wouldn’t have been able to be here,” said Ramaphosa.
He also praised the family for committing to making the Madikizela-Mandela home a museum and a sanctuary for abused women.
“It is fitting that the home is turned into a sanctuary as Winnie was not only a leader of this ANC, she was one of the kindest people that you could find, and assisted communities.
“The Mandela home will be a site of sanctuary for women. It will be a memorial site, it will be a museum. It is important to us, as the ANC, because we will be able to work with the family to ensure that this memorial will become a true memorial,” said Ramaphosa.
Ramaphosa said as the party continues to “claim” Madikizela-Mandela as their own and honour her, the ANC should retain control of the Gauteng government after the 2024 elections.
She died after suffering from long illness at the Netcare Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg on 2 April 2018 at the age of 81.
Madikizela-Mandela was held in solitary confinement, tortured, and victimised continuously without breaks for days by apartheid security police.
At one time, she served 491 days in prison and while students were fighting the racist apartheid and colonial education policies in 1976, she was among those who sheltered, picked up the bodies and comforted their families. Political parties were banned in South Africa.
“Happy birthday Mama Winnie happy birthday!” #WinnieMadikizelaMandela pic.twitter.com/86g96CZ1xS
— African National Congress (@MYANC) September 26, 2022
Meanwhile the 86th birthday celebration for Madikizela-Mandela in Soweto turned into a ceremony to endorse Ramaphosa for a second term at Luthuli House.
The leadership race is starting to take shape as the party prepares for its elective conference in December.
The ANC in Gauteng has endorsed its favoured candidates, which include Ramaphosa, the party’s current treasurer Paul Mashatile and NEC member Nomvula Mokonyane.
Gauteng chairperson Panyaza Lesufi says the province will not settle for anything less than three of its preferred candidates.
“We have said that we are engaging other provinces, so we’re open to be persuaded. But the President, Ramaphosa and Deputy President Paul Mashatile and the DSG Nomvula Mokonyane.
“We really believe that we have put credible comrades that will represent the aspirations of the ANC. We don’t want other positions because we need to share with the other provinces, we need to share with young people and women. This is our position in Gauteng.”