South Africa has paid a moving tribute to the late Mama Winnie Madikizela-Mandela at a memorial service at Orlando Stadium in Soweto. Thousands of people came to honour the woman known as the Mother of the Nation.
The Deputy President says unborn babies will envy this generation for having known and lived with the late Mam Winnie.
It was a moment to celebrate the life of one of the country’s foremost struggle stalwarts. Her appeal cutting across party lines as different political parties also attended.
True to her spirit, time and again the stadium reverberated. Deputy president David Mabuza said she had set an example to be emulated.
Speaking at the late Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s state memorial service at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, Mabuza urged South Africans to unite behind her vision.
“She was a unifier of a visionary note. For Mama, she wanted all South Africans to unite behind the vision of a united non-racial, non-sexist just and a prosperous country. We can do all this by relentlessly tackling poverty, reducing inequality and selflessly serving the poor. That would be living the values that she stood for.”
Thousands of people from all walks of life attended the memorial service of struggle icon. President Cyril Ramaphosa have declared a special official memorial service and funeral for her.
Mabuza says despite Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s significant contribution to the struggle being met with contempt, South Africans are continuing to salute her in their millions.
Mabuza says her courage was beyond measure. He says the late Madikizela-Mandela envisioned a South Africa that’s free from racism, poverty and inequality.
The struggle icon passed away last week at the age of 81 and will be buried on Saturday.
However, government spokesperson, Phumla Williams has defended the security arrangements saying precautionary measures need to be taken to avoid the possibility of a stampede.
“We try as much as we possibly can to take into account the security of the people that will be in that particular venue. So you will find that in some instances there is an inconvenience, but it’s not an inconvenience that is malicious, but it’s an inconvenience that we need to be responsible as government and make sure that these people when they come here they don’t come out with some injuries.” Click below for more on the story:
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