Former anti-apartheid activist Winnie Mandela laid to rest

Winnie Mandela's former husband Nelson Mandela

Former South African anti-apartheid activist Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has been laid to rest in a state funeral on Saturday at Fourways Memorial park near Johannesburg in South Africa. The ex-wife of Former South African President Nelson Mandela reportedly breathed her last on April 3 at the age of 81 after battling a prolonged illness. The coffin draped with the multi-colored South African flag was placed in the middle of the 37,500-seat stadium in front of a stage, decked in white and yellow flowers, as reported by Al Jazeera.

Her memorial service that was held earlier on Saturday was attended by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa who said: 'She was an African woman whose words defied the lie of apartheid'. Two former South African presidents, Jacob Zuma and Thabo Mbeki, also attended the funeral. Various citizens of South Africa also attended who sang and danced to celebrate her life.

British model Naomi Campbell and American civil rights activist Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson were among some of the international figures who attended the funeral. Mandela's daughter Princesses Zenani Mandela said her mother rose against patriarchy and kept Mandela's memory alive while he was in prison. She was the ex-wife of the late Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first black president.

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