While the funeral service for Winnie Madikizela-Mandela is still ongoing on Saturday afternoon, the highlight of the day so far has come from none other than Julius Malema. The EFF leader brought the entire stadium (and internet) to a standstill as he delivered his tribute to Mama Winnie.

Starting off by promising that the EFF and all its members will fully respect President Cyril Ramaphosa on the day, Malema called his party members “the daughters and sons of Mama Winnie”.


“I am here not so much to bury Mama, because Queen Mothers do not die, they multiply into a million red flowers of love and freedom.”

The former ANC Youth League member also told the packed Orlando Stadium that he was there to speak on behalf of the “dejected masses of our people”

Trust us when we say, Juju was just getting started. We gathered five of his most jaw-dropping quotes from his tribute.

A promise to Mama Winnie’s children


“I am here Mama to express my condolences to your biological children whom I know, and the rest of Madikizela and Mandela family. I am here to look at your grandchildren in the eyes and tell them that they will never be treated like they have leprosy as long am still alive.”

Mama Winnie confronted sworn killers


Im here to evoke the spirit of the one who put the country first, above her own personal safety, when it was not fashionable to do so. Many youth activists were personally released by Winnie Mandela from the custody vans of the apartheid military.”

“She confronted gun-carrying white men who were sworn killers of the apartheid defence force throughout the long years of the state of emergency in the 1980s.”

ANC betrayal


“You [ Mama Winnie] trusted that your mission of putting the country first was embraced by an organization you loved but Mama you did not know that your organization had been rendered incapable of loving you back.”

“You fought for what you believed was right, possessed only by your love for our people and the restoration of their dignity. In this fight, you were persecuted by the apartheid regime and disowned by your own.”

“You said we must go back to the ANC. We heard you, but which ANC do we go to. The same people who sold you out? The same people who were going to give you to the enemy?

The sell-outs are here too


“Equally big Mama, some of those who sold you to the regime are here and are crying louder than all of us who stood by you. The UDF cabal that distance itself from you is here crying crocodile tears after disowning you at a critical moment hoping the regime will finish off.”

“All those who resigned from the NEC of the women’s league because they said they can’t be led by a criminal they are here playing all important roles at your funeral, can we trust them or should we treat them with suspicion cde Winnie?”

“We mention these few incidents just to make them aware that we know what they did to you. We see you in your beautiful suits! Betrayers, sell-outs! We see you!”

A call for an airport

“If it is true that the ANC want to honour you, let them name Cape Town Airport after Winnie Mandela.”