Nelson Mandela's ex-wife Winnie Mandela dies at 81

Nelson MandelaWinnie Mandela the former wife of South African antiapartheid icon Nelson Mandela died today aged 81 triggering an outpouring of tributes to one of the countrys defining and most divisive figures She died in a Johannesburg hospital her family said in a statement adding that she had fought valiantly against the Apartheid state and that she was known far and wide as the Mother of the Nation Winnie Mandela who was married to Nelson Mandela for 38 years played a highprofile role in the struggle to end whiteminority rule but her place in history was stained by controversy and accusations of violenceLeading the tributes antiapartheid campaigner and Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu described her as a defining symbol of the battle against oppression She refused to be bowed by the imprisonment of her husband the perpetual harassment of her family by security forces detentions bannings and banishment Tutu said Her courageous defiance was deeply inspirational to me and to generations of activists The statement from her family said that she passed away at the Netcare Milpark hospital in JohannesburgShe died after a long illness for which she had been in and out of hospital since the start of the year She succumbed peacefully in the early hours of Monday afternoon surrounded by her family and loved ones it added In the ruling African National Congress ANC head of policy Jeff Radebe described her as an icon of the revolutionary struggle Most of Winnies marriage to Nelson was spent apart with Nelson imprisoned for 27 years leaving her to raise their two daughters alone and to keep alive his political dream under the repressive whiteminority regimeBut her reputation came under damaging scrutiny in the twilight years of apartheid rule In 1986 she was widely linked to necklacing when suspected traitors were burnt alive by a petrolsoaked car tyre being put over their head and set alight In 1990 the world watched when Nelson Mandela finally walked out of prison hand in hand with Winnie The following year she was convicted of kidnapping and assault over the killing of Stompie Moeketsi a 14yearold boyIn 1992 the Mandelas separated and then divorced in 1996 after a legal wrangle that revealed she had had an affair with a young bodyguard During her old age she reemerged as a respected elder who was feted as a living reminder of the late Mandela and of the long campaign against apartheid Just last month she was shown in television footage joking with Cyril Ramaphosa the newlyappointed president who paid a courtesy call to her home in Soweto the township where she lived for decadesDressed in full ANC colours of yellow black and green she asked Ramaphosa who is known for his morning runs Why dont you get tired We cant get tired when you have given us work to do Ramaphosa said paying fulsome praise to her appearance She had also expressed support for the current leadership of the ANC party which her husband led to power in the euphoric postapartheid elections of 1994The SABC state broadcaster said she had attended church in Soweto on Easter Friday before being admitted to hospital complaining of flu She had also suffered from diabetes for some years Suggestions that Winnie remained extremely close to Nelson Mandela in his final years were fuelled in a recent book by his doctor Vejay Ramlakan wrote that Winnie not Mandelas widow Graca Machel was with Mandela when he died in 2013 The book was withdrawn by its publishers under pressure from Mandelas familyCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updatesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever