Winnie and Nelson Mandela divorce

Date: 19 Mar 1996
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

After 38 years of marriage, Judge Eloff granted Nelson and Winnie Mandela a divorce. Irreconcilable differences were cited as the reason for the parting. The Mandelas were married in 1958 and only spent a couple of years together before Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life in prison as one of the Rivonia Trialists in 1963. It is believed that the lengthy separation that the couple experienced while Nelson Mandela was incarcerated contributed greatly to the eventual split. Two daughters, Zenani and Zindzi were born from their marriage.

Search events by date

What happened on your birthday?

How we know this

01Daily, S. (1996), South African Judge Gives Nelson Mandela a Divorce, from The New York Times, 20 March [online], Available at www.nytimes.com [Accessed: 08 March 2010]
02Block, R. (1996), Mandela: Winnie made me the loneliest man, from The Independent Online, 19 March, [online], Available at independent.co.uk [Accessed: 08 March 2010]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Winnie and Nelson Mandela divorce. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013248

South African History Online (2011) 'Winnie and Nelson Mandela divorce', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013248 (Accessed: 28 August 2026).

South African History Online, Winnie and Nelson Mandela divorce [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013248, (accessed 28 August 2026).

"Winnie and Nelson Mandela divorce." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013248. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "Winnie and Nelson Mandela divorce." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013248.