Why Winnie 'fell out of favour' with some ANC leaders

13 April 2018 - 17:14 By Zine George
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Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
Image: David Turnley/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela fell out of favour with some ANC leaders when she stood firm against those who wanted to hijack the Release Mandela Campaign of the 1980s‚ according to a former ANC Youth League president.

Lulu Johnson‚ who is now a member of parliament‚ revealed this on Thursday‚ saying he had vivid memories of how the ANC’s “Johnny-come-latelies” wanted to be at the forefront when the National Party government resolved to release Nelson Mandela in 1990.

Johnson said that Madikizela-Mandela was working closely with the likes of Aubrey Mokwena and Jabu Ngwenya on the Release Mandela Campaign.

“Those were people who were working hard insofar as making sure that the old man was to return home safe. They were doing that work closely with the old lady‚” Johnson said.

The life of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was celebrated at her official memorial on April 11 2018 at Orlando stadium in Soweto. The struggle icon died on April 2 2018.

“But closer to the time when the old man was to be released‚ we witnessed quite a number of unfortunate situations that meant those who were there in the Release Mandela Campaign structures would have seen themselves‚ if you like‚ elbowed out and suddenly there were new champions.

“The old lady did not take kindly to that.”

His revelations come a day after eNCA broadcast a documentary called‚ which depicted the anti-apartheid struggle hero as a victim vilified by both her comrades in the mass democratic movement and by the apartheid regime.

- DispatchLIVE


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