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Mabel Chinomona

Harare Bureau

League yesterday said it was shocked by the death of Cde Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and expressed its deepest condolences to her family and the African National Congress.

In a statement, Zanu-PF Secretary for Women’s Affairs Cde Mabel Chinomona said: “We wish to express our deepest condolences to the family of Cde Winne Madikizela-Mandela, the ANC Women’s League and the ANC Party as a whole on this sad loss of a dear Pan-African gallant and fearless freedom fighter who distinguished herself during the Liberation Struggle to free South Africa.”

She said the Zanu-PF Women’s League was in shock.

“Indeed, the Zanu-PF Women’s League was shocked and deeply saddened by the sad news of Cde Winnie’s untimely death. To us she was a dear colleague and torch bearer for the fight of the rights oppressed women and the black people in South Africa in particular and Africa in general.

The story of Nelson Mandela’s struggle against apartheid would be incomplete without mentioning Cde Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s role in the same struggle. She stood by her husband through thick and thin up to the bitter end,” added Cde Chinomona.

She described Cde Madikizela-Mandela as a people’s person.

“Cde Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was a people person whose contribution to the liberation of South Africa and indeed the uplifting of the status and dignity of the black African woman in the region will forever be cherished.

Winnie dedicated her entire life for the political and socio-economic development of her people before and after the attainment of independence in South Africa. Hers is a narrative of great and heroic deeds.”

Cde Chinomona said to Zanu-PF Women’s League, Cde Madikizela-Mandela was an inspiration.

“To the Zanu-PF Women’s League, she was a source of inspiration, a liberation icon and a role model of a brave woman fighter who worked tirelessly in support of women issues. Africa in general and particularly former Liberation Movements will be poorer without her. She will be sadly missed by the entire progressive community. May her dear soul rest in eternal peace.”