U Winnie Madikizela wafundela ukuba usonhlalakahle esebenza esibhedlela sase Baragwanath e Soweto, waye hlala egumbini elilodwa no Adelaide Tsukudu owaba unkosikazi ka mongameli we ANC u Oliver Thambo. U Thambo wabe esebenza no Nelson Mandela efemini laba meli.
U Winnie no Nelson Mandela bashada ngonyaka ka 1958 baba nama dodakazi amabili ngaphambi kokuthi aboshwe ngo 1961. Kulesi sikhathi eboshiwe uMandela babe kwazi ukubonana no Winnie kodwa loku kuvakashelana kwakuba imizuzu engamashumi amathathu behlukaniswe ucingo kanye no nogada. Babe ngavumelekile uku khuluma isiXhosa kwaku mele bakhulume isingisi nesi bhunu. Impilo ka Mandela ejele yayi gxile ekufundeni, u Winnie waye bhekane nokuhlukumezwa ama phoyisa, okwakwenza izinsuku zakhe zomuzabalazo zibe nzima.
“Umcabango osekhanda eliphusile kanye nenhliziyo enhle kuhlezi kwiyinhlanganisela enhle. ~Nelson Mandela