Thousands of mourners gathered in Soweto, South Africa, on Saturday to bid farewell to anti-apartheid heroine, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, in a funeral that united the nation as people from various political divides celebrated her life.
Madikizela-Mandela’s death on April 2, at the age of 81, after a long illness, was met with an outpouring of emotion across the country.
The official funeral service for the ex-wife of the late Nelson Mandela took place on Saturday morning in Soweto, where she lived. The burial ceremony took place later in the day, ending a nearly two-week mourning period declared by the government.
Mourners sang and cheered as Madikizela-Mandela’s body was brought into the Orlando Stadium where the funeral took place.
Also present at the service were South Africa’s former presidents, Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma, as well as foreign dignitaries from Kenya, Namibia and Lesotho.
