Winnie madikizela-mandela zenani mandela biography

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Who Was Winnie Mandela?

Winnie Mandela embarked on a career of social work that led to her involvement in activism. She married African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela in , though he was imprisoned for much of their four decades of marriage. Winnie became president of the ANC Women's League in , and the following year she was elected to Parliament. However, her accomplishments were also tainted by convictions for kidnapping and fraud. She passed away on April 2, , in Johannesburg‚ South Africa.

Early Life and Career

Born Nomzamo Winifred Madikizela on September 26, , in Bizana, a rural village in the Transkei district of South Africa, Winnie eventually moved to Johannesburg in to study at the Jan Hofmeyr School of Social Work. South Africa was under the system known as apartheid, where citizens of Indigenous African descent were subjected to a harsh caste system, while European descendants enjoyed much higher levels of wealth, health and social freedom.

Winnie completed her studies and, though receiving a scholarship to study in America, decided instead to work as the first Black medical social worker at Baragwanath Hospital in Johannesburg. A dedicated professional, she came to learn via her fieldwork of the deplorable state that many of her patients lived in.

In the mids, Winnie met attorney Nelson, who, at the time, was the leader of the African National Congress, an organization with the goal of ending South Africa's apartheid system of racial segregation. The two married in June , despite concerns from Winnie's father over the couple's age difference and Nelson's steadfast political involvements. After the wedding, Winnie moved into Nelson's home in Soweto. She became legally known thereafter as Winnie Madikizela-Mandel.

Confinement and Leadership

Nelson was routinely arrested for his activities and targeted by the government during his early days of marriage. He was eventually sentenced in to life imprisonment, leavin

South African diplomat

Princess Zenani Mandela-Dlamini (born 5 February ) is a South African diplomat and traditional aristocrat. She is the sister-in-law of the King of eSwatini, Mswati III, and the daughter of Nelson Mandela and his former wife, Winnie Mandela.

Early life

Main article: Mandela family

Zenani Mandela was born into a family of chieftains. Her father, Nelson, was a direct descendant of the holders of the kingship of the Thembu people and was himself the heir to the chieftaincy of Mvezo. His grandson, Zenani's nephew Mandla, eventually succeeded to the latter title.

She was nearly born in prison, as Winnie Mandela was arrested close to her birth in , and when she was four her father was sent to prison, where he would stay for the next 27 years. Not until , when she was 15 years old and could visit him, did she know about the arrest.

Education

Mandela-Dlamini studied at Waterford Kamhlaba United World College of Southern Africa and science at Boston University. It was there that she first met Prince Thumbumuzi Dlamini of Swaziland (an elder brother of the reigning monarch of Swaziland, Mswati III and of Queen Mantfombi of the Zulus), who was studying science at the same university. The two married in and had four children – daughters Zaziwe () and Zamaswazi () and sons Zinhle () and Zozuko () – and six grandchildren, but are currently separated. Her husband had several other children from a previous marriage, Prince Cedza Dlamini being one of them. They are co-owners of Mandela, Dlamini and Associates (International Business Consultants).

Later activity

Mandela-Dlamini was appointed ambassador for South Africa to Argentina in July , (taking office in October), becoming the first of Mandela's children to enter public service; she succeeded retiring diplomat and former opposition

Nelson Mandela was born in and died, aged 95, in His family tree has grown from three wives and six children to 17 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and on &#;

Mandela’s father was Mphakanyiswa Gadla Henry Mandela, who died in His mother was Nonqaphi Fanny Nosekeni, who died in

Mandela was married three times and had six children.

Marriage and children

In , at the age of 26, Mandela married Evelyn Ntoko Mase (). They had four children together, three of whom died tragically.

Mandela’s first child, Madiba Thembekile Mandela – known as Thembi – was born in Thembi died in a car accident in while his father was in prison. Mandela was not allowed to attend his son’s funeral.

A second child, daughter Makaziwe (or Maki) Mandela, died in infancy in

Mandela and Evelyn Mase’s third child was Makgatho Lewanika Mandela, a son born in He died of an Aids-related illness in

Their fourth and surviving child was a daughter, Pumla Makaziwe Mandela – also known as Maki and named for her infant sister – who was born in

Mandela and Evelyn Mase divorced on 19 March

On 14 June Mandela, aged 40, married Winnie (Winifred) Nomzamo Zanyiwe Madikizela, who was born in

They had two children, both daughters.

Zenani Dlamini-Mandela was born in

Zindziswa Mandela, Nelson Mandela&#;s youngest child, was born in Zindzi, as she was known, died on 13 July in the midst of the Covid pandemic. She was buried next to her mother on 17 July, the day before 18 July – her father&#;s birthday, known worldwide as Mandela Day.

Mandela and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela divorced on 19 March

On 18 July – his 80th birthday – Mandela married Graça Machel, who was born in Machel is the widow of slain Mozambican president Samora Machel.

Grandchildren

Nelson Mandela had 17 grandchildren, nine born to the children of Evelyn Mase and eight born to the children of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.

Grandchildren with Evelyn Mase

Thembi Mandela had two dau

From prison, Mr Mandela continued to support his wife.

In , after his release, she was charged with the assault and kidnapping of Stompie and one of her bodyguards was charged with his murder.

She denied the allegations but was found guilty of kidnapping and sentenced to six years imprisonment.

This was reduced to a fine by an appeal court.

Her marriage to Mr Mandela broke down in the years after his release and they were divorced in

President Mandela accused her of adultery, and in the same year, dismissed her as deputy minister of arts and culture - the only post she has held in government since white minority rule ended.

Her split from Mr Mandela did little to harm her political standing among poor, black South Africans who saw her as their voice at a time when the ANC had adopted pro-business policies.

But at the same time she became known for an increasingly lavish lifestyle, arriving to testify at Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings in a white Mercedes limousine surrounded by bodyguards.

In , Ms Madikizela-Mandela suffered another blow when a court convicted her of fraud and theft in connection with a bank loan scandal.