Editing Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (section)

==Return to politics==
[[File:Winnie Mandela00.jpg|thumb|right|Madikizela-Mandela in 2008]]
When the ANC announced the election of its National Executive Committee on 21 December 2007, Madikizela-Mandela placed first with 2,845 votes.<ref>[http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/conf/conference52/ Newly-elected National Executive Committee] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525085835/http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/conf/conference52/ |date=25 May 2010}}, [[African National Congress|ANC]] Website. Retrieved 21 December 2007</ref><ref>[http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=666599 Winnie Mandela tops ANC election list] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081002120731/http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=666599 |date=2 October 2008}}, ''[[The Sunday Times (South Africa)|The Times]]'', 21 December 2007</ref>

Madikizela-Mandela criticised the [[Xenophobia in South Africa|anti-immigrant violence]] in May–June 2008 that began in [[Johannesburg]] and spread throughout the country and blamed the government's lack of suitable housing provisions for the sentiments behind the riots.<ref name="guardianObit" /><ref>[http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20080530112254983C305166 "Winnie speaks out on SA's issues"]. Iol.co.za (30 May 2008). Retrieved 30 May 2011.</ref> She apologised to the victims of the riots<ref>Hawley, Caroline. (16 May 2008) [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7404351.stm Refugees flee South Africa attacks]. BBC News. Retrieved 30 May 2011.</ref> and visited [[Alexandra, Gauteng|the Alexandra township]]. She offered her home as shelter for an immigrant family from the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]].{{citation needed|date=April 2018}} She warned that the perpetrators of the violence could strike at the [[Metrorail Gauteng|Gauteng train system]].{{Citation needed|date=April 2018}}

Madikizela-Mandela secured fifth place on the ANC's electoral list for the [[2009 South African general election|2009 general election]], behind party president [[Jacob Zuma]], President of South Africa [[Kgalema Motlanthe]], [[Deputy President of South Africa|Deputy President]] [[Baleka Mbete]], and Finance Minister [[Trevor Manuel]]. An article in ''[[The Observer]]'' suggested her position near the top of the list indicated that the party's leadership saw her as a valuable asset in the election with regard to solidifying support among the party's grassroots and the poor.<ref>Duval Smith, Alex (1 March 2009), [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/01/winnie-mandela-mp-south-africa Winnie set for shock comeback to ANC politics], ''The Guardian''.</ref>

Madkizela-Mandela was largely sidelined by the ANC in the post-apartheid period.<ref name="mgAncBetrayedWinnie"/><ref name="jMalalaAttemptsDontWash"/><ref name="capturedByPopulistPoliticsduPreez"/> Despite her status as an ANC MP over much of that period, she largely associated with non-ANC figures including [[Bantu Holomisa]] and [[Julius Malema]].<ref name="jMalalaAttemptsDontWash">{{cite web|url=https://select.timeslive.co.za/news/2018-04-16-ancs-attempts-to-honour-winnie-just-dont-wash/|title=ANC's attempts to honour Winnie just don't wash|website=Times Live|first=Justice|last=Malala|date=16 April 2018|access-date=17 April 2018|archive-date=17 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417192503/https://select.timeslive.co.za/news/2018-04-16-ancs-attempts-to-honour-winnie-just-dont-wash/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Madikizela-Mandela was a political patron of Malema, who was expelled from the ANC and later formed his own party, the [[Economic Freedom Fighters]].<ref name="reutersTarnished"/>

===2010 interview with Nadira Naipaul===
In 2010, Madikizela-Mandela was interviewed by [[Nadira Naipaul]]. In the interview, she attacked her ex-husband, claiming that he had "let blacks down", that he was only "wheeled out to collect money", and that he is "nothing more than a foundation". She further attacked his decision to accept the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] with [[F. W. de Klerk]]. Among other things, she reportedly claimed Mandela was no longer "accessible" to her daughters. She referred to Archbishop [[Desmond Tutu]], in his capacity as the head of the [[Truth and Reconciliation Commission (South Africa)|Truth and Reconciliation Commission]], as a "cretin".<ref>Naipaul, Nadira (8 March 2010) [https://www.standard.co.uk/news/how-nelson-mandela-betrayed-us-says-ex-wife-winnie-6734116.html "How Nelson Mandela betrayed us, says ex-wife Winnie"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408045752/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/how-nelson-mandela-betrayed-us-says-ex-wife-winnie-6734116.html |date=8 April 2018}}. ''London Evening Standard''.</ref>

The interview attracted media attention,<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/southafrica/7403504/Winnie-Mandela-accuses-Nelson-of-letting-down-South-Africas-blacks.html "Winnie Mandela accuses Nelson of letting down South Africa's blacks"]. ''The Telegraph'', 14 March 2010</ref> and the ANC announced that it would ask her to explain her comments regarding Nelson Mandela.<ref name=Madiba>{{cite web|author1=Williams, Murray |author2=Kgosana, Caiphus |name-list-style=amp |url=http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?art_id=vn20100309120838574C472618&singlepage=1|title=South Africa: "'Madiba' let us down"|date=9 March 2010}}</ref> On 14 March 2010, a statement was issued on Madikizela-Mandela's behalf claiming that the interview was a fabrication.<ref>[http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/article354012.ece "'Ms Naipaul is a liar and a fraud'"]. ''Times Live/Sunday Times'', 14 March 2010</ref>