Ramaphosa: Winnie wore the gaping wound of our people
President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered a moving eulogy at the funeral service of struggle icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela on Saturday.
Thousands of South Africans from across the political spectrum paid their final respects to the women affectionately known as the mother of the nation at Orlando Stadium.
Ramaphosa told mourners that Madikizela-Mandela wore the gaping wounds of her people.
“She had been left to to tend her wounds on her own for most of her life. Left alone to fend for herself only caused her more pain.
“`But she touched our wounds all the time.”
Ramaphosa said South Africans should continue to “touch” Madikizela-Mandela’s wounds to bring her healing but to also honour her by reflecting on its own wounds so that it too can heal.
“As we continue to touch her wounds, we must be brave enough to share her life and legacy across our society and with the people she loved. Shortly before her death, we had a conversation about her concerns, her worries and her wishes.”
The President also expressed regret at the treatment meted out to Mama Winnie by the African National Congress (ANC) while she was still alive.
“As we bid farewell to her, we are forced to admit that too often as she rose, she rose alone,” Ramaphosa said, referencing the Maya Angelou poem ‘Still I Rise’. “Too often we were not there for her.”