By ZOLILE MENZELWA and ZINGISA MVUMVU
Thousands of mourners are expected to descend on Orlando Stadium in Soweto today to pay their last respects to the late struggle icon Nomzamo Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
National government spokeswoman Phumla Williams confirmed Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou-Nguesso, Namibian President Hage Geingob and Madagascar Prime Minister Olivier Mahafaly Solonandrasana would attend the funeral.
Williams said Zimbabwe, Zambia and Lesotho would send representatives.
Other international dignitaries will be former Malawi president Joyce Banda, former Kenyan prime minister Raila Odinga and Zimbabwe Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga.
This will be a first-of-its-kind send-off for a female political leader in a democratic South Africa, said political analyst Professor Somadoda Fikeni.
“It has always been men given the kind of send-off that has international interest, but Mama Winnie becomes the first female, an indication of changing times in our country.”
The professor said today would also be significant in that it will give the country time to reflect.
“Already we have seen during the mourning period, especially young people, reflecting on the complexities of our democracy and the processes that led to its birth,” he said.
“Another issue to watch will be the statements made by the EFF and the ANC on how they related to the late Winnie and whose statement resonates best with society.”
Madikizela-Mandela, 81, died last Monday following a long illness that had seen her in and out of hospital since the beginning of the year. Since her death at the Milpark Hospital, both young and old have been visiting her Orlando West home, which she and her family chose to remain in following her divorce from the late statesman Nelson Mandela in 1992.
International artists, including Burundian Khadja Nin, have also descended on Johannesburg to pay their last respects to Madikizela-Mandela, dubbed “the Mother of the Nation”.
Ministers from various African countries will also attend the funeral, including Milton Finley of Liberia, Bright Msaka of Malawi, Wivinne Mumba of the DRC and Ahmed Abdi of Somalia, among others.
US anti-apartheid activist Reverend Jesse Jackson paid homage to her at the family home yesterday where he said Madikizela-Mandela had kept the movement alive when most of its leaders were in prison or exile.
“When she died, she multiplied in so many ways in that she leaves behind a lasting legacy. She never stopped fighting and serving her people and for that we are grateful,” said Jackson.
WBO bantamweight world champion Zolani “Last Born” Tete has dedicated his upcoming title defence fight in Belfast to the late struggle icon. Tete visited the Mandela home in Soweto yesterday before jetting off to Europe to ready himself for the big fight billed for next Saturday.
He told the Daily Dispatch that he was now filled with the fighting spirit of Mama Winnie and felt sorry for his opponent Omar Narvaez.
“I feel sorry for that guy because he is going to be fighting two champions in one person, me and Mama Winnie whose fighting spirit lives in me,” said Tete.
“Mama Winnie was a champion in her own right, having fought all sorts of struggles during apartheid and emerged victorious. My wish is to emulate her, hence I visited her home to get those blessings.
“I’m ready to defend my title convincingly, for Mama was never a coward and as such I’m now fired up so much I wish this fight was tomorrow instead of next week.”
The Madikizela-Mandela family called on South Africans to come out in their numbers to the stadium. The ANC in the Eastern Cape has heeded the call and hundreds of members will attend. While budget constraints have prohibited most regions from busing people to the service, they encouraged those who are travelling in cars to offer lifts to other party members.
Nelson Mandela ANC regional secretary Themba Xathula said 400 party members would be transported to the funeral of the late ANC veteran. “There are a lot more people who would like to go, but due to financial constraints we could not transport all of them,” he said.
Amathole sponsored a minibus taxi for the ANC Women’s League. Regional secretary Teris Ntuthu said: “We have also encouraged people to use their own transport.”
Joe Gqabi regional secretary Mfundo Bongela said the regional leadership encouraged members with cars to give lifts to those interested in going, as did most other regions contacted by this newspaper. Bongela however added that as it was a state funeral, government should have helped transport people.
Bongela said there was no budget for the transportation of party members to Gauteng for the funeral.