Pretoria_ The veteran anti-apartheid fighter Winnie Mandela, reflection of the South African women during the years of repression against the majority black population, passed away today at the age of 81 years old, Prensa Latina reports.  

Spokeswoman Zodwa Zwane confirmed that Winnie died this afternoon and that the family will issue a statement within a few hours.

Nomzamo Winifred Madikizela was born in 1936 in the town of Bizana, province of Eastern Cape, and moved to Johannesburg in 1957 to study Social Work when she met the legendary leader Nelson Mandela, with whom she married the following year and had two daughters. They divorced in 1996.

Icon of South African women's struggle and resistance, Winnie is remembered for her confrontation with the authorities of racial segregation, her political calls and her participation in strikes of black workers when her husband then was imprisoned with other leaders of the African National Congress (ANC) on Robben Island.

In 1993 she was not only elected president of the Women's League of the ANC, but also she was Minister of Art, Culture, Science and Technology in the first government after the end of apartheid and separated from her official position in 1996.

She remained active in community work at her residence in Soweto until her demise.

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