Social media erupted in outrage and disbelief on Wednesday night after the screening of a tell-all documentary about the life of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
The documentary, simply titled Winnie, aired on eNCA hours after the official state memorial for Madikizela-Mandela was held at Orlando Stadium in Soweto and it exposed how the mother of the nation was “betrayed” by the ANC, especially by her husband, former president, Nelson Mandela.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu was also called out for “letting the mother of the nation down” when he had requested her to apologise at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings in 1997.
This #WinnieDoccie showing us evidence that we have been praising the wrong heroes #Winnie pic.twitter.com/8zB7kXy36r
— Sphelele (@SpheDludla) April 11, 2018
We've been praising the wrong Mandela #Winnie
— Aubrey 'Aubz ?? (@AubreyChiibi) April 11, 2018
In the documentary, Madikizela-Mandela suggests that the subpoena for her to testify at the TRC was linked to her nomination for the position of deputy president of the ANC.
“It was an unhealthy coincidence in my mind that this must happen a few days before the national conference. I was the only one in the ANC who was taken to the TRC by her own government. I was seething with rage. He [Tutu] was acting there for the public, acting for Stratcom” she says.
“To this day, I ask God to forgive me, for not forgiving Tutu. I wasn’t going to say sorry as if I had been responsible for apartheid,” she adds.
Ive watched this video 56 times & i cant get over hearing this quote ????
— Motaung Wa Ramokhele (@Mathabo__M) April 3, 2018
"To this day, I ask God to forgive me, for not forgiving him" ??
Arch Desmond Tutu must lungisa indaba yakhe noJesu manje, Mam'Winnie gave him to God! pic.twitter.com/YB16taM9cz
The truth about the Stompie Seipei murder and the extent of the apartheid regime’s smear campaign to discredit and isolate Madikizela-Mandela is also revealed.
Why has @Official_SABC1 and other SABC channels never showed this? Why does our govt not want to educate our kids and people about our hero’s & heroines?!? #Winnie
— #CATCHINGFEELINGS (@PearlThusi) April 11, 2018
#Winnie#WinnieMadikizelaMandela
— Kwakhanya (@Kwakhan03679240) April 11, 2018
S.A. journalists & film makers are an embarrassment. It took Pascale Lamche, a French Film Maker to have an inclination, work very hard & dig deep to find & report the truth about out very own Mother. Shameful!
Since her passing, the nation has seen fiery debate around Madikizela-Mandela’s character, with the “saint or sinner” dichotomy dominating the narrative.
Watching #Winnie ,do you now understand why she had to be silenced and why Chris Hani had to be killed? They were standing in the way of the 'Rainbow Nation'
— Kagiso (@kayjah) April 11, 2018
The documentary, which premiered at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival last year, seems to have cleared up the smokescreen with all its revelations, the biggest one being the confession that the apartheid government worked actively to drag Madikizela-Mandela’s name through the mud.
Stratcom head Vic McPherson admits that he had 40 journalists planted to write defamatory articles on Madikizela-Mandela.
“I already had 40 journalists working directly or indirectly for me. So through them I could have specific reports placed in the newspapers, and it would be front page,” McPherson says.
2. Vic McPherson explains that President PW Botha came up with a psychological warfare against Black people which used various communication for propaganda to discredit Winnie Mandela and other Black leaders. pic.twitter.com/kkWWducPNP
— KatlehoMK ???? (@KatlehoMK) March 22, 2018
This would lead to internal divisions in the ANC and allies such as the IFP distancing themselves from Madikizela-Mandela, isolating her even more from the masses.
All those 40 journalists who worked with Stratcom against Mama Nomzamo should voluntarily come out and ask for forgiveness. Embedded journalism is a serious threat to our democracy.
— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) April 11, 2018
This documentary clearly reveals:
— TheBlackProtector (@_BlackProtector) April 11, 2018
1. Mama Winnie was a revolutionary until the end.
2. Nelson Mandela is loved more by whites because he betrayed black people.
3. Desmond Tutu with a bible in his hand was more dangerous than a sinner who had alcohol in his hand.
#Winnie
#Winnie single handedly making an entire regime fear you!!! When they had to arrest her, the police came in swarms!! Just for ONE WOMAN, if that isn't power I don't know what is. She was stronger than I ever ever imagined she was. I'm sad to celebrate her life too late pic.twitter.com/9K0G2Nu7Il
— Hlumisa Malahla (@HlumisaMalahla) April 11, 2018
It is also shown that the man who killed Stompie, Jerry Richardson, was a police informer working in Madikizela-Mandela’s inner circle.
Many also asked why former president Nelson Mandela was willing to forgive the apartheid government, but not his wife.
Mandela forgave the apartheid government which tortured people,raped them,killed thousands of his people ,jailed him for 27 Years
— Zaine Aftamath (@MrKeysToTheCity) April 12, 2018
But could not forgive #Winnie for something she didn't even do? Wow
Nelson Mandela was MADE by Mama Winnie!!! #Winnie
— iNtokozo (@hrh_ntokozo) April 11, 2018
I have always wondered why Nelson Mandela, of all the Revonia trialists, became so prominent and a centre of attraction and today this #Winnie documentary is answering that question. Winifred Nomzamo Zanyiwe Mandela gave Nelson his fame. That is a fact, like it or not ????????
— Reverend Fighter (@Rev_Mente) April 11, 2018
I’m committing to make sure my daughter watch the #Winnie documentary multiple times over the course of the year. She will learn. She will know.
— #CATCHINGFEELINGS (@PearlThusi) April 11, 2018
If you missed the documentary last night, here’s when you can catch repeats:
eNCA: Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 4pm and Sunday at 8pm
e.tv: Sunday at 4pm
Openview e-extra: Sunday at 9pm
[REPEAT TIMES] #Winnie - The documentary will repeated on #eNCA at the following times. Times for eTV and OpenView HD to be announced. pic.twitter.com/iybo12vb1u
— eNCA (@eNCA) April 12, 2018