Remembering Winnie Mandela, mother of a nation

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the warrior mother of South Africa and anti-apartheid hero, has died at age 81 after a long battle with illness, according to a statement released by the family.

“She had been in and out of hospital since the start of the year. She succumbed peacefully in the early hours of Monday afternoon surrounded by her family and loved ones,” said family spokesman Victor Dlamini.

Mama Mandela was one of the greatest icons of the struggle against apartheid. She was a brave freedom fighter who made great personal sacrifices for South Africa’s liberation.

In a touching interview with young student leaders and journalists as part of the MTV Base Meets series, Winnie Mandela was asked if there was one piece of advice that she wished she’d been given over her lifetime. This is what she said.

“We ought to have been advised that political freedom alone would never be enough. Political freedom without economic freedom is half a freedom. If we had known that before we would not be having these problems that the youth are experiencing today. The fact is now freedom is translated as being materialistic, you will find yourselves fighting for the best cars and the best homes, which was never a case in our time.”

This intimate interview took place in Winnie Mandela’s Soweto home.