'Mother of the Nation' Winnie Madikizela-Mandela dies at 81

Winnie Madikizela Mandela.
(Image credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

South African anti-apartheid activist Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has died at the age of 81 after "a long illness," a family spokesperson said Monday.

The ex-wife of Nelson Mandela, who was the first democratically elected president of South Africa, Madikizela-Mandela was known as "the Mother of the Nation." The Guardian writes that "her uncompromising methods and refusal to forgive contrasted sharply with the reconciliation espoused by her husband," and that their 1992 divorce ultimately tarnished her reputation in the eyes of some South Africans, although she "retained the support of radical black nationalists to the end."

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.