Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the ex-wife of former South Africa leader Nelson Mandela and anti-apartheid icon has died at the age of 81 after a long illness.
A statement from her family spokesperson said the illness has seen her go in and out of hospital since the beginning of 2018.
“She succumbed peacefully in the early hours of Monday afternoon surrounded by her family and loved ones,” the statement read.
Madikizela-Mandela was, along with her ex-husband, a key figure in the fight to end the racist Apartheid system imposed on South Africa for decades by a white ruling class. She was married to Nelson Mandela during his incarceration at the notorious Robben Island prison.
She was a trained social worker when she met Nelson Mandela in the 1950s. They were married for a total of 38 years, although for almost three decades of that time they were separated due to Mandela’s imprisonment.
