When 90 year old Albertina Sisulu embraced Angel Grace, a small child found in the drains in 2009, no one knew the ‘mother of the nation’ would face her end, two years later.Recently, Albertina was working with the Walter Paediatric Cardiac Centre for Africa which raises funds for children suffering from congenital heart defects.
Famously known as the struggle veteran, Albertina has a long story to share. The story which teaches survival, sacrifice, care and above all, value of human emotions.
‘Growing years’
The eldest daughter among eight children the Thethiwe family, Albertina, whose real name was Nontsikelelo worked very hard to make the ends of her family meet. She chose to work as a nurse, during her growing years, surving on very frugal income, just to manage sending money back home. When she shifted to Johannesburg, the place that she often dreaded to settle in because of the cultural differences, she not only met her partner Walter Sisulu but also grew out to be an inspiration to millions.
Right from the starting of apartheid and racism against black people, Albertina suffered a lot of differentiation. She often quoted how appalled she was when doctors refused to give medical treatment to black patients, irrespective of the emergency condition, due to the skin colour. Initially, she joined politics as a means to support her husband, only later beginning to establish herslef as the president of ANC’s Women League.
‘Inspiration to black women’
She also taught millions of other black women how to stop being depressed when they see their men being jailed and treated brutually because they have to be the strength of the family. In return of her zeal and fighting back attitude, she was also the first woman to be jailed under the General Laws Ammendment Act of 1963.
Inspite of being detained in the solitary confiment for two months and being psychological threatened, she did not reveal the location of her husband to the police officers. In this process, she also was scared regarding the safety of her children, was barred from social outings and movements outside Johannesburg, yet she never gave up.
She was often quoted saying that women need to be strong because if they get depressed, the enemies win in their motive. Affectionately called as ‘Ma’ (Mother), Albertina also opened a new home for children at Sheikha Al Jalila House for Walter Sisulu Pediatric Centre for Africa in 2009.
With her profound love for children, Albertina kissed the hands of the one year old Nkgokena Molahegi on her 91st birthday.
Inspite of the death of her husband, she continued to support Nelson Mandela who was the best close friend of the family and even the best man in her wedding. She also attended the welcome ceremony organised for Mandela on 11th February 1990.
In 2005, she also attended the 50th celebration of anti-apartheid liberation struggle in South Africa’s Freedom charter in Kliptown.
In a nutshell, Albetina has travelled a long journey from being the only woman in the inaugral conference of the African National Congress Youth League to being the ‘One Woman Army’ of South Africa.
shubhdachaudhary 