Ngelusuku lwemashumi lamabili nesitfupha enyangeni yeNyoni kumnyaka wa 1936, Nomzami Winifred Zanyiwe Madikizela watalelwa esigodzini sase Bizana lebesibitwa ngekutsi yi Transkei (eEastern Cape). Make wakhe, Nomathamsanqa Mzaidume (Gertrude), wafundzisa ngemsebenti wasendlini wesayensi kanye nababe wakhe, Clumbus Kokani, Bekayi minista Yemahlatsi kanye neLitiko Letulima neMfuyo eTranskei. Winnie bekangumntfwana wesine kulabasiphohlongo.
Lokwababuhlungu kungesikhatsi sekushona kwa make wa Winnie ngemnyaka wa 1944, ngesikhatsi Winnie aneminyaka lesiphohlongo budzala. Nomakunjalo, Winnie wakhona kuchubeka nekufundza esikolweni lesiphansi sase Bizana waphindzela wachubekela lizinga leliphakeme ngemfundvo. Akufani nalabanye bantfwana labamnyama base Ningizimu Afrika ngaletotikhatsi, Winnie watfolelwa imfundvo lesetulu. Lemfundvo ye Bantu leyalelwa yakhona kulunga ngesikhatsi asamdzala.
Wenta sigaba sematric eShawsbury lese Qunu lapho afundzela likhono lebuholi. Wabuyela ekhaya lapho atfola kutsi babe wakhe besekashade Hilda Nophikela lowamemukela ngemoya lofutfumele kanye nebanfwabakubo.
Ngaphansi kwekwelulekwa ngubabe wakhe, Winnie washiya iTranskei waya eGoli ngemnyaka wa 1953 ayochubekisa likusasa lakhe lekusita bantfu. La eGoli wangena esikolweni sa Jan Hofmeyr Sekusebenta Ngekusita Bantfu. Ngemnyaka wa 1955 waphumelela ngekutfola umphumela wekuba ngulosetulu eklasini lakhe waphindze wanikwa litfuba lekubhadalelwa kutsi ayofundza khashane eUSA.
Kepha akazange alitsatsa, esikhundleni saloko watsatsa umsebenti wekusita bantfu ekhaya kubo leliseveni lakhe. Winnie watsatsa umsebenti wekusita bantfu ngetemphilo eSibhedlela lesiseGoli iBaragwanath, lowaba ngumuntfu lomnyama wekucala ekutsatseni lesikhundla.
Wachubeka ngekutakhela ligama lakhe kulesibhedlela, avela kumaphephandzaba lebekakhuluma tindzaba takhe tekutiphatsakahle ekucaleni kanye nemphumelelo yelikusasa lakhe.
Winnie wacala kutsandza tepolitiki tesive kanye nekugcugcutela ngesikhatsi asebenta eSibhedlela eBaragwanath, ngesikhatsi abona kwekucala lendlela yenhlupheko lebeyiphilwa bantfu basetikomuplaza lebebahlala khona. Lucwalingo lwakhe lwendlela yebantfwana labasebancane eSkomplazi sase Alexandra, lapho khona kufa lokulishumi lobekwenteka njalo ekutalweni kwetinswane letitinkhulungwane, kwenta Winnie kutsi abone kahle ngekungabikho kwemtsetfo eNingizimu Afrika.
Winnie wenta tindlela tekugucula lokungabikho kwemtsetfo kantsi futsi bekakhutsele kutepolitiki ngisho nangesikhatsi ngaphambi adibane naNelson Mandela. Ngesikhatsi asese Baragwanath, Winnie bekahlala gumbi linye na Adelaide Tshukudu kuyinye ehostela yasesibhedlela lehlala tisebenti.
Lalababili bababangani labacinile. Ngendlela bangani labenta ngayo, bebavame kucoca ebusuku, futsi Adelaide watjela Winnie konkhe ngalomunye ummeli (lobekangumengameli we ANC Oliver Tambo) lo Adelaide abetsembisene naye, kanye nemlingani wakhe losemtsetfweni, Nelson Mandela. Winnie kanye na Nelson baphuma bayohlangana kwekucala, baya endzaweni yekudlela yemandiya dvute nemahhovisi akhe ebumeli.
Bekakadze amudzala ku Winnie ngemnyaka lolishumi nesitfupha kantsi futsi besekavele angumuntfu lotsite kutepolitiki yesive kanye nalolwa ngekugcilateka kulubandlululo. Winnie akazange ativa amncane noma atfuswa ngiko loko kantsi futsi ngemnyaka wa 1957, ngesikhatsi amcela kutsi amushade, wavele waphendvula ngekutsi yebo, ngaphandle kwekungabata. Bashada ngenyanga yeNhlaba emnyakeni lowalandzela.
Translated by Phindile Malotana