Winnie on Nelson Mandela: Look at your grandfather, that's my type

03 April 2018 - 07:10 By Jessica Levitt
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Former President Nelson Mandela and his wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
Former President Nelson Mandela and his wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
Image: Gallo Images/Media24 Archives

A week before Winnie Madikizela-Mandela's death, her granddaughter jokingly spoke about a conversation she had with Ma Winnie about finding her a partner.

Zoleka Mandela, who refers to Ma Winnie as her "day one," said she told her gran that she wanted to find her a "boo thang so he can do the thangs that need to be done."

She said she asked her gran what her type is and Ma Winnie replied: "Darling, just look at your grandfather. That's my type."

Ma Winnie met Nelson Mandela in 1957 and they were married a year later. She spent much of their marriage alone after he as arrested in 1963 and sentenced to life in prison for treason. He was eventually released in 1990. The couple divorced in 1996 after being married for 37 years.

It has been confirmed Ma Winnie will be given a state funeral on April 14.

President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the Soweta home of Ma Winnie on Monday night and called her the "mother of South Africa."

β€œMany of our people just cannot believe she has departed. They were still glowing in her continued presence and lifeβ€š particularly after she seemed to have gotten over the health challenges that she was going through," he said.

Meanwhile, on Good Friday, Zoleka posted images of her gran at a church service in Soweto.

Zoleka said they had both forgotten how long church services were and had to stop on the way home to buy corn from the side of the road because they were both hungry.

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