Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, 1936-2018

[Steve_uk]

She was the wife of the first black president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, but evinced none of his political acumen. Far more extreme she became a demagogue in her own right as her husband languished in prison, her power invested in the terror perpetrated by her henchmen, named the Mandela United Football Club. She had a direct hand in the murder of alleged informer, 15-year-old teenager Stompie Moeketsi, and ordered the death of many others by means of necklacing, a euphemism for setting car tyres alight with petrol whilst strapped to the victim's person.

It might have been better had she remained in the job of the Johannesburg social worker she once trained for. Upon her husband's release from prison and his becoming President in 1994 she became Minister for Arts and Culture, but the temptation to engage in corruption was too much for her and she was sacked by her husband. They later divorced. She died today after a long illness. https://youtu.be/f5-AyS4KhOw