Johannesburg - It has been five years since anti-apartheid activist and freedom fighter Winnie Madikizela-Mandela passed away.
The ANC stalwart away on April 2, 2018 at the age of 81 in Johannesburg.
She was born on September 26, 1936 and was not only an anti-apartheid activist but also a strong advocate for women’s rights.
In marking the fifth anniversary of her passing, the ruling party hosted a celebratory ceremony in Soweto on Sunday to honour the fallen hero.
The programme for the day kicked-off with a wreath-laying at the Fourways Memorial Park, followed by a church service at the Methodist Church in Zone 7 where she frequented and later community gardening initiative at Orlando West High School.
Leading and speaking at the service, the first deputy secretary-general (DSG), Nomvula Mokonyane, said she would remember the struggle icon as a hero and champion.
She described Madikizela-Mandela as a woman who had a very strong character, outspoken, selfless, fearless and accessible to people.
Mokonyane said they learnt a lot from her and will continue with her legacy and wishes that women are always on the forefront.
Sharing the same sentiment as the DG's, the Deputy President Paul Mashatile, said Madikizela-Mandela spent most of her life fighting for a better life for the people.
"She has fought battles as part of women's struggles, ANC struggles underground and she suffered for that. She was tortured, jailed and banned," he said.
He said they will continue in her footsteps as the ANC.
Meanwhile, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) also commemorated the revolutionary life of Madikizela Mandela.
According to the party, its Headquarters - Winnie Madikizela Mandela House in Braamfontein, Johannesburg serves as a token of their gratitude to the Mother of Nation.
"It was our response signal to our dearly departed that her fighting spirit for the emancipation of the African Child lives on. It continues to be the home of the dejected masses of our people.
"Marking the permanence of her existence is an ode to archiving the lives and achievements of the fighters who came before us and granted the economic emancipation movement a compass of resilience and lifetime dedication to our quest for Economic Freedom in Our Lifetime," it said.
The EFF mentioned that it has picked up Mama Winnie’s spear against the land thieves and said the expropriation of the land without compensation will be realised in their lifetime.
"The EFF is committed to creating a government that cares for its people; the downtrodden, erased and forgotten persons of our societies. The EFF, like Winnie Madikizela Mandela, will always be on the side of the vulnerable and weak," it said.
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