5 little known facts about Winnie Mandela

South African activist and former first lady, Winnie Madikizella Mandella breathed her last on Monday, 2nd April 2018 at the age of 81. Winnie, also known as Nomzamo ‘one who strives’ leaves behind a legacy being a fighter and pioneer of the anti-apartheid regime.

Here are little known facts about Winnie Madikizella Mandella

Accused of murder

Winnie Mandela was blamed for killing teenage activist Stompie Seipei , who was found dead near her Soweto home with his throat cut open. She was convicted of kidnapping the 14-year-old on suspicion of being an informer. She was sentenced to six years in jail but the jail term was reduced to a fine on appeal.

She was fired from office by her ex-husband, Nelson Mandela

In 1995, Winnie was fired from Nelson Mandela’s cabinet on allegations of corruption. The two had separated in 1992 but finally divorced in 1996, a year after Mandela sacked her from his cabinet.

She was accused of inciting violence

Once when Winnie appeared the Truth and Reconciliation Commission(TRC) to unearth massacres committed by both sides in the anti-apartheid struggle, she did not show remorse for abductions and murders carried out in her name. This led her critique to accuse her of encouraging and inciting violence.  

Accused of theft and fraud

In the early 2000s, Winnie was in court again facing fraud and theft charges in relation to an elaborate bank loan scheme. She was sentenced to five years in prison but was again overturned on appeal.

She became politicized at a tender age

Winnie was working as a hospital social worker (she was barely 20 years) when she realized the abject poverty under which most people were forced to live in, created by the inequalities of the system. It is from this point that she strived to bring change and equality.

Winnie met Nelson Mandela in 1957, when she was 22 years and they married a year later, in 1958.