ANC YOUTH LEAGUE CONGRATULATES THE NATIONAL HERITAGE COUNCIL FOR AWARDING MAMA WINNIE MADIKIZELA MANDELA WITH THE UBUNTU AWARD

1 October 2011

The ANC Youth League congratulates the National Heritage Council for choosing Mama Winnie Madikizela Mandela to be the first female recipient of the Ubuntu Award. On the 30th of September 2011, the NHC displayed its courage and honoured Mama Winnie Mandela in a highly succesful ceremony in Gallagher Convention Centre.

The ANC YL salutes the NHC, particularly its couragous, hard working and grounded Chief Executive Officer, a product of the ANC Youth League, Cde Sonwabile Mancontywa. We also salute Minister of Arts and Culture, Cde Paul Mashatile, the political head of the department that oversees the National Heritage Council for not being unapologetic in celebrating and honouring struggle heroes and heroines.

Honouring Mama Winnie Mandela confirms that her status as a revolutionary, freedom fighter and a humanist who made profound contribution to many people's lives is ranked alongside the previous recipients of the Ubuntu Award. Indeed Mama Mama Mandela deservedly joins heroes like Nelson Mandela, Kenneth Kaunda and Fidel Castro, who are the previous recipients of the Ubuntu award. 

Honouring Mama Winnie Mandela dismisses perceptions some amongst the liberation movement wanted to create about Mama Winnie Mandela. ANC Leaders who attended the honouring ceremony should feel proud for doing because they came to witness the honouring of an outstanding, consistent and fearless leader of the liberation struggle. 

Unlike some other people elsewhere, the ANC Youth League proudly associates itself with Mama Winnie Mandela and will forever celebrate and honour her contribution to our political liberation. We even more proud that she receives honour from a South African honourable institution, not from institutions and people whose commitment to a world of peace, stability and progress is questionable.

Well done National Heritage Council and we are proud of Mama Winnie Mandela.

Statement issued by the ANC Youth League, October 2 2011

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