Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s resilience in the face of the brutal onslaught by the apartheid regime is a reminder that the country’s freedom was never free, President Jacob Zuma said on the stalwart’s 80th birthday on Monday.

“You dedicated your adult life to the struggle for liberation and sacrificed life’s comforts, flying the flag for freedom and fighting repression, injustice and inequality valiantly and courageously,” he said in a statement.

“You raised your children single-handedly, with Tata Nelson Mandela in prison, facing bannings, banishments, imprisonment and ongoing harassment by the security police.

“Thank you for remaining unwavering in the quest for a better society, a free, united, non-sexist, non-racial, democratic and prosperous South Africa.”

Madikizela-Mandela was born in the Eastern Cape in 1936.

Celebrations for her milestone started earlier this month with a birthday dinner at the Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town, attended by political bigwigs such as Cyril Ramaphosa and Julius Malema.

This was followed by a concert in her honour at the Artscape Theatre.

Zuma thanked her for remaining unwavering in standing with the poor and downtrodden.

“We are grateful for the gift of your life. We wish you a happy, warm, enjoyable birthday today. May you have many more and continue to serve as an inspiration to the whole nation, especially the youth.”