South African legend – Nelson Mandela’s former wife, Winnie Madikizela Mandela has died aged 81.
The revelation was made public by her personal assistant, Zodwa Zwane Monday afternoon.
Zwane said Winnie’s family would issue a statement later in the day.
Born in Bizana in the Eastern Cape in 1936‚ she moved to Johannesburg to study social work after matriculating.
She met lawyer and anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela in 1957 and they were married a year later. They had two children together.
However‚ her marriage life with Mandela was short-lived‚ as he was arrested in 1963 and sentenced to life imprisonment for treason. Mandela was eventually released in 1990 and went on to become South Africa’s first black President.
