Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Nadira Naipaul's essay on Winnie Mandela's narrative and the struggle to end apartheid

Winnie is human after all, just as Mandela was. And I suspect she naively underestimated the complex tapestry of compromises and pragmatic manoeuvres that constrained African nationalism. I wonder what she would have done if she had been given Mandela's terrible predicament.

Or, should I even wonder at all? The fire inside of her portends a huge national conflagration.

Is Winnie still the naïve revolutionary?


Adeshina Afolayan

Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN

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From: Ikhide <xokigbo@yahoo.com>

Sender: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com

Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2013 12:52:03 -0800 (PST)

To: Toyin Falola<USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com>

ReplyTo: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com

Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Nadira Naipaul's essay on Winnie Mandela's narrative and the struggle to end apartheid

""I cannot forgive him for going to receive the Nobel [Peace Prize in 1993] with his jailer [FW] de Klerk. Hand in hand they went. Do you think de Klerk released him from the goodness of his heart? He had to. The times dictated it, the world had changed, and our struggle was not a flash in the pan, it was bloody to say the least and we had given rivers of blood. I had kept it alive with every means at my disposal".

 

We could believe that. The world-famous images flashed before our eyes and I am sure hers. The burning tyres - Winnie endorsed the necklacing of collaborators in a speech in 1985 ("with our boxes of matches and our necklaces we shall liberate this country") - the stoning, the bullets, the terrible deaths of "informers". Her often bloodthirsty rhetoric has marred her reputation.

 

"Look at this Truth and Reconciliation charade. He should never have agreed to it." Again her anger was focused on Mandela. "What good does the truth do? How does it help anyone to know where and how their loved ones were killed or buried? That Bishop Tutu who turned it all into a religious circus came here," she said pointing to an empty chair in the distance.

 

"He had the cheek to tell me to appear. I told him a few home truths. I told him that he and his other like-minded cretins were only sitting here because of our struggle and ME. Because of the things I and people like me had done to get freedom.""

 

If you have the time, please read this essay. It humanizes Winnie Mandela and situates her in a very complex situation, she is her own best advocate. Nadira is VS Naipaul's spouse. This essay is an account of Winnie Mandela's meeting with her and VS.

 

Please read by clicking here.

 

- Ikhide

 

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