Madikizela-Mandela bestowed Isithwalandwe Award

The African National Congress (ANC) has bestowed the late party stalwart Winnie Madikizela-Mandela with the Isithwalandwe Award.

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that recipients of the award include anti-apartheid activists Ahmed Timol, Albertina Sisulu and ANC Women’s League founder Charlotte Maxege.

The award recognises outstanding contribution to the liberation struggle.

Ramaphosa says other recipients are social campaigner Denis Goldberg, former secretary of the underground South African Congress of Trade Unions John Nkadimeng and Women’s march leader, Sophie de Bruyn.

“These cadres, as illustrated by the literal translation of Isithwalandwe, are the ones who wear blooms of the rare bird. Our national bird, the blue crane and have themselves shown to be amongst the bravest warriors of our people in pursuit of social justice.”

Ramaphosa delivered the party’s manifesto at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday.

He has called for harsher sentences for the perpetrators of gender-based violence. He has called the violence a national crisis. He has also urged the men present at the stadium to stand up against gender-based violence.

“We must prioritize the rights of women and end discrimination and prevent violence against women and girls. We have made huge strides in improving the position of women in society. However, gender-based violence has become a national crisis and we now need to be more determined to end the violence that is being perpetrated against the women of our country.”

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