While her former husband‚ Nelson Mandela‚ could no longer shed tears because his tear ducts had been damaged by light and dust in the limestone quarry on Robben Island‚ where he spent years imprisoned‚ Winnie Madikizela-Mandela could no longer cry because she felt she had reached the threshold of pain.
This was one of the things shared by her personal assistant‚ Zodwa Zwane‚ during Madikizela-Mandela’s memorial service at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Wednesday.
Zwane said Madikizela-Mandela‚ who was her boss and friend‚ would tear up when she spoke about forgiveness‚ but she would never cry.
“It was one of the things when she spoke about [it] she would have tears in her eyes‚” said Zwane‚ fighting back her own tears.
“But the tears would not roll down her face and she would say: ‘Zodwa‚ I don’t have tears anymore because I felt the pain up to the threshold. Tears don’t come out anymore’.”
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