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eventREF E-0081665Revised

Event record

Nelson Mandela announces his separation from his wife, Winnie Mandela.

Date
13 Apr 1992
Updated
30 Sep 2019
Nelson Mandela announces his separation from his wife, Winnie Mandela.

Just two years after coming out from prison, Nelson Mandela announced his intention to separate from his wife of 34 years, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.  Mandela and Madikizela-Mandela were married in 1958, having met the previous year. The couple had two daughters, Zenani born in 1959 and Zindzi born in 1960. In 1962, Mandela was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment on Robben Island. The couple were re-united in 1990 after Mandela's release, however, they eventually separated. The divorce was finalised in 1996. While Madikizela-Mandela never remarried, Mandela went on to marry the  former first lady of Mozambique, Graca Machel in 1998.

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How we know this

  1. 01Smith D.(2013), Nelson and Winnie Mandela's marriage ended, but the bond was never broken from The Guardian , 6 December, [online] Available at: www.theguardian.com [Accessed: 11 April 2014]
  2. 02Frontline "The Separation" BOOK EXCERPT from Frontline [online] Available at: www.pbs.org [Accessed: 11 April 2014]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2012, April 5). Nelson Mandela announces his separation from his wife, Winnie Mandela.. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0081665

South African History Online (2012) 'Nelson Mandela announces his separation from his wife, Winnie Mandela.', South African History Online, 5 April. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0081665 (Accessed: 5 August 2026).

South African History Online, Nelson Mandela announces his separation from his wife, Winnie Mandela. [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0081665, (accessed 5 August 2026).

"Nelson Mandela announces his separation from his wife, Winnie Mandela.." South African History Online, 5 Apr. 2012, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0081665. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "Nelson Mandela announces his separation from his wife, Winnie Mandela.." South African History Online. April 5, 2012. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0081665.

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