Johannesburg - The African National Congress (ANC) on Monday sent “revolutionary well wishes to Comrade Nomzamo Winnie Madikizela-Mandela on the occasion of her 80th birthday”.
ANC national spokesman Zizi Kodwa described the struggle stalwart as a “fearless freedom fighter, stalwart of our movement and mother of the nation”.
Kodwa added: “Comrade Winnie has been and remains the embodiment of the resilience and tenacity of the South African people”.
Madikezela-Mandela turned 80 on Monday.
“As Comrade Winnie Madizikela-Mandela celebrates eight decades of life, the majority of which have been dedicated to service of our people, the ANC wishes her health and many more years during which she will still contribute to the realisation of the much better life for the people she has loved and lived side by side in the pursuit for equality and social justice,” said Kodwa.
“As a movement and a people, the ANC owes an enormous debt of gratitude to Comrade Winnie and her generation of freedom fighters who were an unshakable mark and unwavering beacon of hope during the darkest days of our history.
“When the release of political prisoners, the return of exiles and the glory of freedom seemed completely unrealistic, she was resolute – her selflessness and dedication kept the vision of freedom alive and added further pressure which ultimately saw the defeat of the apartheid regime.”
African News Agency