By Setumo Stone
Young South Africans have ranked Winnie Madikizela-Mandela overwhelmingly ahead of every other South African woman as Africa’s greatest female liberation fighter, placing her at the centre of a generational reassessment of who carried the cost of the struggle against apartheid.
Previously unreleased findings from the 2026 African Youth Survey show 51% of South Africans aged 18 to 24 selected Madikizela-Mandela as Africa’s greatest female liberation fighter. Albertina Sisulu, her nearest South African rival, received 6%, followed by Helen Joseph on 5%.
The gap is significant because the respondents were born years after apartheid ended and, therefore, formed their views through history, family memory, education and subsequent
public accounts rather than personal experience of the struggle.
The Winnie-specific findings are not contained in the July public report supplied to Sunday World and are, therefore, additional, previously unpublished results from the same research
programme. The published report does, however, establish the survey methodology. It says 4 901 people aged between 18 and 24 were interviewed face to face across 16 African countries, including South Africa, with an equal male-female split. About 300 interviews were conducted in each market; respondents were country nationals, could answer in local languages and received no incentives.
Asked separately to choose up to three people who sacrificed the most for the anti-apartheid movement, 36% selected Madikizela-Mandela. That put her behind Nelson Mandela at 61% and Steve Biko at 37% but made her the highest-ranked woman and left her just one percentage point behind Biko.
Some 89% agreed Madikizela-Mandela was “one of the greatest icons of the anti-apartheid movement”, including 58% who strongly agreed. Another 81% agreed she “sacrificed the most of all the leaders”.
The wider report also provides context for why the findings about Madikizela-Mandela matter beyond historical reputation. It records strong support among young Africans for women occupying political power. Across the continent, 68% said their countries would be better governed if more women held senior government positions. In South Africa, support stood at 77%.
The survey further found that 65% of African youth would support legislation reserving a specific percentage of government positions for women.
Ivor Ichikowitz, founder and commissioner of the African Youth Survey, said, “This is a verdict from the generation born after apartheid, and it is impossible to dismiss,” Ichikowitz said.
“Their judgement is not uncritical, but it is clear: history diminished her contribution and they are now demanding a fuller account of who fought, who suffered and who was allowed to define the national memory.”
The findings are being released for the 70th anniversary of the August , 1956 Women’s March, when about 20 000 women marched to the Union Buildings against pass laws. They also follow the April release of the seven-part Netflix documentary The Trials of Winnie Mandela, executive produced by Ichikowitz.
- In the 2026 African Youth Survey, 51% of South African respondents aged 18 to 24 selected Winnie Madikizela-Mandela as Africa’s greatest female liberation fighter.
- Albertina Sisulu and Helen Joseph were the nearest rivals, receiving 6% and 5% respectively in the same survey.
- When asked who sacrificed most for the anti-apartheid movement, 36% of young South Africans chose Madikizela-Mandela, ranking her behind Nelson Mandela (61%) and Steve Biko (37%).
- The survey showed strong support among African youth for women in political power, with 77% of South Africans believing their country would be better governed with more women in senior positions.
- The previously unreleased survey findings coincide with the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Women’s March and follow the release of the Netflix documentary The Trials of Winnie Mandela.
