Winnie Mandela at Johannesburg Magistrate’s court

On this day Nelson Mandela was charged for leaving the country illegally and inciting a strike. This was after he had been arrested near Howick, Natal (Kwazulu Natal) on 5 August 1962. Winnie Mandela who was Mandela’s wife, was at Johannesburg Magistrates Court. This was a poignant day for Winnie and she faced a future in which her husband’s arrest was inevitable and the considerable time she and her two small children would endure without him while Mandela was held in confinement. Winnie was separated from her husband most of her marriage life due to his imprisonment. However, she decisively upheld Mandela’s legacy. Winnie was pivotal in the formation of the Black Women’s Federation in December 1975. The federation empowered women through education in both rural and urban areas and initiated health classes, literacy and nutrition for women. In October 1977 the federation was banned following the detainment of its leaders. Winnie later became the national executive and chair of the African National Congress Women’s League.