Occupations

Social Worker

Political Activist (1962)

Politician ANC's National Executive Committee (1991 - 1992)

President of ANC's Women's League (1993 - 2003)

Deputy Government Minister (1994 - 1996)

First Lady of South Africa (1994 - 1996)

Education

Shawbury Highschool, South Africa

Jan Hofmeyr School of Social Work, Joannesburg, South Africa (1953 - 1955)

Alongside her husband's prison sentence, Winnie Mandela, as a political activist, also suffered restrictions on her liberty during the apartheid years.  She was regularly imprisoned and banished from specific areas of South Africa and in 1969 was detained in solitary confinement for 17 months.

In 2003 Winnie Mandela was found guilty on 43 counts of fraud and 25 of theft and sentenced to 5 years in prison.  The conviction for theft was later overturned but the one for fraud upheld in appeal.  Her sentence was reduced and suspended.

Winnie Mandela was found guilty of the kidnapping and accessory to the assault of a 14 year old boy suspected of working with the apartheid regime in the early 1990s.  Her 6 year prison sentence was reduced to 2 years and suspended after appeal.