[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 820 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 820
Recognizing the life and significant contributions of Winnie
Madikizela-Mandela, the former wife of Nelson Mandela, and an icon in
the international fight against apartheid and injustice in South
Africa, for her leadership and her devotion to the cause of freedom for
all South Africans.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 11, 2018
Ms. Maxine Waters of California (for herself, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson
of Texas, Mr. Hastings, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Jeffries, Mr. Smith of
Washington, Mr. David Scott of Georgia, Ms. Bordallo, Mr. Rush, Mr.
Lowenthal, Ms. Lee, Mr. Lawson of Florida, Mr. Payne, and Ms. Moore)
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee
on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the life and significant contributions of Winnie
Madikizela-Mandela, the former wife of Nelson Mandela, and an icon in
the international fight against apartheid and injustice in South
Africa, for her leadership and her devotion to the cause of freedom for
all South Africans.
Whereas Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, known affectionately as Winnie Mandela, was
born Nomzano Winifred Madikizela in Pondoland, South Africa, on
September 26, 1936, and passed away on April 2, 2018, at the age of 81;
Whereas Winnie Mandela lived much of her life under the system of apartheid,
which literally means ``separateness'', and which was advocated by South
Africa's Afrikaner National Party in 1948 and became law in South Africa
by 1950 through measures that separated the country's non-White majority
population from its White minority by, among other things, classifying
all South Africans by race, banning marriage and sexual relations
between Black and White South Africans, establishing separate public
facilities for Whites and non-Whites, denying non-White participation in
the South African National Government, dividing Black South Africans
along Tribal lines to prevent them from uniting, thereby reducing their
political power, and setting aside 80 percent of the country's land for
the White minority population while requiring non-Whites to carry
documents authorizing their presence in restricted areas of the country;
Whereas Winnie Mandela began her career as the first Black medical social worker
in South Africa, taking a position at the Chris Hani Baragwanath
Hospital in Johannesburg where she learned of the deplorable conditions
in which many of her patients lived under apartheid and was motivated to
action;
Whereas Winnie Mandela became heavily involved in activism in South Africa as
her awareness of the inequalities facing the country increased as a
result of her social work;
Whereas Winnie Mandela became interested and involved with the African National
Congress, the South African political party and leading organization in
the antiapartheid movement;
Whereas, in 1957, friends introduced Winnie Mandela, then Nomzano Winifred
Madikizela, to Nelson Mandela, a lawyer, member of the African National
Congress Executive Committee, and leading figure in the antiapartheid
movement, who she married on June 14, 1958;
Whereas beginning in the early days of their marriage, Winnie and Nelson Mandela
engaged in political activities and demonstrations for which they were
routinely arrested and targeted by the government and security police;
Whereas Winnie Mandela's activism included activities such as participating,
along with thousands of other women, in a demonstration in September
1958 against South Africa's so-called ``pass laws'' requiring Blacks in
the country to carry documentation at all times indicating their
assigned residence and employment and authorizing their presence in
certain areas of the country;
Whereas Winnie Mandela was incarcerated for two weeks and lost her job as a
hospital social worker as a result of her participation in the September
1958 demonstration;
Whereas Nelson Mandela was arrested in 1962 and jailed for inciting Africans to
strike and, while imprisoned on those charges, was tried for sabotage,
found guilty, and sentenced, in 1964, to life imprisonment, leaving
Winnie Mandela to raise the couple's two daughters, Zenani and Zindzi,
on her own and without a source of income;
Whereas during her husband's incarceration, Winnie Mandela steadfastly continued
her activism against apartheid, which led to harsh harassment from
police, her arrest on several occasions, and her imprisonment in 1969
for 18 months in solitary confinement, where she was tortured;
Whereas despite her imprisonment and encounters with police, Winnie Mandela
continued her activism;
Whereas, in 1977, Winnie Mandela was banished by the South African Government to
the remote town of Brandfort, where neighbors were forbidden to speak to
her, and she was banned from meeting with more than one person at a
time;
Whereas the 1977 banning order against Winnie Mandela was only one of multiple
government orders issued to ``ban'' or restrict her social contact and
silence her;
Whereas Winnie Mandela succeeded in empowering and galvanizing women, in
particular, to rise up and speak out against the abuses of the apartheid
regime in South Africa, and Winnie Mandela popularized the statement,
``When you strike a woman, you strike a rock'', which indicated that
women were determined in their efforts to end apartheid and which
symbolized the strength and fortitude of women who could not, and would
not, be moved;
Whereas, in 1985, Winnie Mandela inspired the introduction of a joint resolution
in the United States House of Representatives sponsored by the late
Representative George Crockett of Michigan, and cosponsored by fifty-
eight other Members of Congress, to proclaim Nomzamo Winnie Mandela to
be an honorary citizen of the United States and condemn her banishment
to Brandfort, South Africa;
Whereas, on February 11, 1990, as a result of Winnie Mandela's activism,
domestic efforts in South Africa, and international outrage, Nelson
Mandela was released from 27 years of imprisonment declaring a ``deep
appreciation for the strength given to [him] . . . by [his] beloved
wife'';
Whereas although Winnie Mandela was the wife of Nelson Mandela, who became
President of South Africa in May 1994, Winnie Mandela was a historic
figure and leader in South Africa in her own right;
Whereas Winnie Mandela was elected to serve as the president of the African
National Congress Women's League in 1993;
Whereas, in 1994, Winnie Mandela was elected to serve as a Member of South
Africa's Parliament;
Whereas, in 1994, Winnie Mandela was appointed by her husband, then President,
Nelson Mandela, to serve as Deputy Minister of Arts, Culture, Science
and Technology;
Whereas although Winnie and Nelson Mandela divorced in 1995, Winnie Mandela
continued to be a notable international figure;
Whereas, in 2007, Winnie Mandela was elected to the African National Congress
National Executive Committee;
Whereas in South Africa, Winnie Mandela became known as the ``Mother of the
Nation'' for her constant dedication and bravery in the struggles facing
her people and in the fight against apartheid; and
Whereas despite controversies surrounding her life and career, Winnie Mandela's
unwavering commitment to ending apartheid and securing Nelson Mandela's
freedom has earned her a notable place in history: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes and honors the life and achievements of
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela as an activist and international
leader who was pivotal in bringing an end to the long injustice
of apartheid;
(2) recognizes Winnie Mandela's steadfast resolve to
support her then-husband, Nelson Mandela, during his 27-year
unjust incarceration in South Africa, and to fight for, and
secure, his release;
(3) commends the courage, hard work, commitment, and
dedication of Winnie Mandela for fighting for the rights and
empowerment of oppressed Black South Africans and women; and
(4) offers condolences to the people of South Africa for
the loss of a national leader and icon.
<all>