Thousands of people have attended a memorial service in South Africa to commemorate the life of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. The anti-apartheid campaigner and ex-wife of Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president, died on 2 April. 

The Mandela daughters, Zanani and Zindzi, were in attendance. Opposition politician Mangosuthu Buthelezi said it was remarkable how they had grown up despite being robbed of their parents in childhood.

Mourners gave the “Black Power” salute, as speakers recalled how imprisonment and solitary confinement failed to break Ms Madikizela-Mandela.

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Many people were draped in the colours of the African National Congress, which led the fight against apartheid.

Students were also among the mourners, paying tribute to a generation of activists who brought about the downfall of apartheid in 1994.

Some wore shirts bearing the image of Ms Madikizela-Mandela, and had the words “hamba kahle”, or farewell, printed on them.

A state funeral will be held on 14 April.

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