Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has become the first woman recipient of the National Heritage Council's Ubuntu Award.
The organisation's CEO, Sonwabile Mancotywa, handed it to her at a breakfast at the Mandela Museum house in Orlando West, Soweto.
The award - which has previously been bestowed on former Cuban president Fidel Castro and on former UN secretary-general Boutros-Boutros Ghali - is given to those who have "contributed selflessly to the benefit of humankind".
Said Madikizela-Mandela: "I cannot describe the feeling. It is awesome to be the first woman to receive this award. This is the greatest honour I have received so far, and the second-greatest honour is the fact that the announcement has been made here, among my people, the people I used to throw stones with right here."
Madikizela-Mandela was hugged by some of her excited neighbours, some of whom she has known since the 1960s.
Mancotywa said the jury was unanimous in its choice of this year's recipient.
"In fact, what they said is that she should have received this award a long time ago."
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 