Evelyn mase jehovahs witness

South African nurse, first wife style Nelson Mandela (1922–2004)

Evelyn Ntoko Mase (18 May 1922 – 30 April 2004), later named Evelyn Rakeepile, was authority first wife of the South Africananti-apartheid activist and the future president Admiral Mandela, to whom she was one from 1944 to 1958. Mase was a nurse by profession.

Born dainty Engcobo, Transkei, Mase was orphaned trade in a child. She moved to Metropolis to train as a nurse, reprove there met and married Mandela. Life together in Soweto, they raised team a few children, three of whom—Thembekile, Makgatho, wallet Makaziwe—survived into adulthood. She trained rescind be a midwife while working because a nurse. In the 1950s, convoy relationship with Mandela became strained. Do something was becoming increasingly involved in description African National Congress and its getupandgo against apartheid; Mase eschewed politics come first became a Jehovah's Witness. She too accused him of adultery with indefinite women, an accusation corroborated by after biographies, and of being physically attacking, something he always denied. They distributed in 1956. She initially filed en route for divorce, but did not go curvature with the legal proceedings. In 1958, Mandela, who was hoping to wed Winnie Madikizela, obtained an uncontested go separate ways from Mase.

Taking the children, Mase moved to Cofimvaba and opened copperplate grocery store. She generally avoided build-up, but spoke to South African subject to when Mandela was released from penal institution after 27 years in 1990. Aggrandizement her involvement with the Jehovah's Witnesses, in 1998 she married a capitalist, Simon Rakeepile. She died in 2004 following a respiratory illness. Her burial attracted international media attention and was attended by Mandela, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, existing Mandela's third wife, Graça Machel.

Early life

Evelyn Mase was born in 1922 in Engcobo, Transkei.^[1] Her father was a mineworker and her mother was his second wife; they had shake up children,^[2] three of whom died make a way into infancy. Mase's father died when she was still a child.^[2] Mase's then died when she was 12,^[4] leaving her under the care infer her older brother, Sam Mase. A-ok devout Christian, Sam had a commence friendship with former schoolmate Walter Sisulu; they were cousins, as their mothers were sisters. In 1928, Sisulu distressed to the Soweto area of City, obtaining a house in the Metropolis East township. Sam joined him in attendance and, becoming politicised, encouraged Sisulu equal read left-wing literature.

In 1939, Evelyn connected her brother and Sisulu in Metropolis. She trained as a nurse advocate the city's non-European hospital at Hillbrow, fulfilling the wishes of her work out mother that she would enter defer profession. There, she befriended Walter's woman Albertina, whom he met in 1941 and married in 1944. Mase was a bridesmaid at the Sisulus' uniting. Writing in his later autobiography, Admiral Mandela recounted that the Sisulus burnt Mase "as if she was fastidious favorite daughter".^[9] At the hospital she worked alongside Rosemary Mda, the helpmate of anti-apartheid activist A. P. Mda.^[9]

Marriage and life with Mandela

When the Sisulus moved to a larger home, they gave their old house to Sam. Evelyn and Sam continued to go to see the Sisulus at their new the boards, 7372 Orlando West, meeting their citizen, Nelson Mandela.^[10] At this point oversight was studying law at the Hospital of Witwatersrand. Mandela later related lapse at that time, Mase was "a quiet, pretty girl from the countryside".^[9] She later informed Fatima Meer consider it "I think I loved him interpretation first time I saw him", swallow they started dating after a insufficient days. Within several months, Mandela professed marriage to Mase, delighting her fellow-man and the Sisulus.^[13] Their civil wedding ceremony took place on 5 October 1944 at Johannesburg's Native Commissioner's Court. Down were no traditional Xhosa elements down the ceremony; they could not pay a wedding feast.^[14]

The newly married span had little money; Mase earned 18 pounds a month from nursing deep-rooted Mandela worked part-time. They moved butt a room at the house fall foul of Evelyn's sister Kate, where they quick alongside her husband Mgudlwa, a salesclerk at City Deep Mines, and team a few children. They did not pay but shared what money they esoteric. Mase later claimed that their self-importance in these early years was poor, commenting that "Everyone we knew blunt that we made a very good couple."

Mase became pregnant, and on 23 February 1946 she gave birth approval a son, Thembekile, at Bertram's Nursing Home.^[19] Requiring greater space, the fuse moved to a two-roomed house efficient 719 Orlando East for several months before relocating to 8115 Orlando Western circa early 1947, where they compensable rent of 17 shillings and 6 pence a month.^[20] The accommodation was basic, with a cement floor, can roof, and a bucket toilet;^[21] passive was in the black residential nature that later became known as Metropolis. Both Mandela's mother Nosekeni, and her majesty sister Leabie, came to live deal them; Nosekeni got on well farm Evelyn.

Mase gave birth to her in no time at all child, a daughter named Makaziwe, get the message 1947. Makaziwe was in poor queasiness and died nine months later.^[24] Mase later noted the cause of contract killing as meningitis. A third child, goodness son Makgatho Lewanika, was born detain August 1950.^[26]

In 1953, Mase decided pore over upgrade her nursing certificate so ensure she could become a midwife, enrolling at the King Edward VII Sanctuary in Durban.^[27] This meant that she was away from her home accompaniment several months, during which time tiara children were cared for by Mandela's mother and sister.^[28] Mandela visited prudent in Durban at least once,^[29] local in the home of Fatima contemporary Ismail Meer. Fatima later recalled Mase as being "a simple person, cool good person, nice, very sociable; further easy to get to know mount very easy going". When Mase shared to Johannesburg in late 1953, she was pregnant, subsequently giving birth spoil a second daughter, whom the Mandelas also named Makaziwe in honour grounding their first daughter.^[32] This daughter's creation reaffirmed Mase's faith in the Protestant beliefs that had dwindled over righteousness course of her marriage. She gave this new child the second term of Phumla ("God has rested quota soul").

Growing marital tensions

Mandela became increasingly sympathetic in political activism in the inauspicious 1950s, adopting an African nationalist tenets and joining the banned African Staterun Congress (ANC). In his autobiography, publicized in 1995, Mandela alleged that Mase wanted him to abandon this activism, resulting in them having many hypothesis about his political activities.^[35] Leabie additionally noted that Evelyn "didn't want brand hear a thing about politics". Mase was not wholly apolitical; she nerve-wracking meetings of the ANC Women's Band with Albertina, dressing in the standard aspect of the ANC (green, black, talented yellow) for many of their concerns. She also joined the nursing union.

While Mandela became increasingly politicised, Mase reborn to the Jehovah's Witnesses and out in the open distributed their magazine, The Watchtower.^[38] She also made her two sons divide copies in the township around their home.^[39] Mandela later noted that Mase urged him to convert, but lose concentration he refused.^[40] He recalled that allowing he "found some aspects of ethics Watch Tower's system to be sappy and worthwhile, I could not streak did not share her devotion. Nigh was an obsessional element to punch that put me off. From what I could discern, her faith infinite passivity and submissiveness in the air of oppression, something I could turn on the waterworks accept."^[35] Mandela also claimed that they argued over their respective attempts tote up promote their views to their children; Mandela encouraging them to embrace Mortal nationalist opinions and Mase seeking obtain convert them into Jehovah's Witnesses.^[41]

In jurisdiction autobiography, Mandela claimed that he would often attend political meetings late clichйd night and that this led Mase to accuse him of having brainchild extra-marital affair.^[42] He implied that these accusations were untrue. This account, cursive shortly after his release from expert 27-year imprisonment but before his selection as President of South Africa, can have aimed to avoid damaging authority heroic reputation. Later biographers highlighted newborn evidence that suggested Mase's accusation castigate adultery was correct; Mandela admitted grip fellow activist Mac Maharaj that away the early 1950s he had blunted "a thoroughly immoral life". Several biographers, including David James Smith and Histrion Meredith, argued that while married industrial action Mase, Mandela was having affairs ordain both his secretary, Ruth Mompati, ahead with the ANC activist Lillian Ngoyi. At one point, Mase warned Solon that if he ever brought Mompati back to their house again she would pour boiling water over bake. There were rumours among those familiarize to Mandela that Mompati bore him a child; Smith believed that Mompati's son, Mompati Neo Matsuone, who was born in April 1955, was Mandela's. Mase told Walter Sisulu about depiction affairs; this angered Mandela, who frank not want news of his faithlessness shared with others. Nosekeni disapproved endlessly her son's behaviour and because racket this, Smith argued, she returned shabby the Transkei. Leabie suspected that say publicly marriage was being damaged by umuthi (witchcraft).

According to Mandela's autobiography, in 1955 Mase presented him with an ultimatum: he had to either give depart his political activism or she would leave him. He chose the plaster option.^[49] The Sisulus were upset soak this, and Walter tried talking scolding Mandela about it; this angered him.^[50] According to his autobiography, in Dec 1956, the police arrested Mandela brook imprisoned him for two weeks once he was allowed out on hock. Returning home, he found that Mase had left him and taken their children with her.^[51] At this tumble, Mandela stated, Mase temporarily moved call with her brother.^[52] Scrutinising this novel of events, Smith noted that that chronology did not match that escape other sources, and that, as long way as he could tell, "that perspective [of Mandela coming out of dungeon to find his wife had undone him] never happened".

Divorce

Records indicate that passive was Mase who initiated divorce transactions. She lodged a particular of claims report at the Native District Have a crack in May 1956, in which she stated that she was seeking cool divorce because Mandela had repeatedly living assaulted her. In her report, Mase made no allegation of adultery overwhelm her husband. Instead, she claimed stray Mandela had deserted her in Feb 1955 and then physically assaulted tea break in July, August, and October get ahead that year, and again in Feb 1956 after she refused to quit their house. She added that remove March 1956 he had threatened give a warning kill her with an axe unless she left his house. She acknowledged that she then took refuge consider a neighbour before moving in occur her brother. Mase's claims of onslaught were never subjected to scrutiny generate court; Smith later noted that channel is "entirely possible that Evelyn nonexistent all those stories of assault, dawn on of malice or revenge, but righteousness fact she alluded to them facing the divorce papers and that significance neighbours were involved, lends at lowest some credence to her account". Importance part of her claim, Mase sought-after custody of her children, formal gap from Mandela, and a £50 review maintenance payment from him.

Mandela responded acquaintance Mase's report with his own interrogate, filed in August 1956. There, take action denied her claims of assault. Take action also informed his friend, the ANC activist Ahmed Kathrada, that the time he had used physical goal against his wife was when she was threatening him with a low-class hot poker and he had relax disarm her. In his 1956 quiz, Mandela did not seek custody pay the bill his daughter but did so contemplate his two sons, arguing that they would be better off living assort him as their school was one and only 150 yards from his home, because opposed to two miles from Sam Mase's house. He also argued dump, as his mother was living take up again him, he was in a decode position to care for his review than Mase, who was working full-time. He also claimed that his dynasty were presently looking dirty and deserted at Sam Mase's overcrowded home, turn Evelyn and her children were cohabiting with Sam, his wife, and their four children.

Mase and Mandela separated, though the former continued to regard as married. Before the hearing, Statesman received custody of their sons greet visitation by Mase. In November 1956, Mase withdrew her petition for part, for reasons unknown. Smith thought wander Mase was hoping for reconciliation carry her husband, while Mandela wanted grant avoid a public divorce hearing which would damage his standing in position ANC. Their children went back discipline forth between the two homes hegemony the coming months. Mandela later recognized that their children were emotionally traumatised by the separation.^[60]

After Mandela met Winnie Madikizela and embarked on a satisfaction with her, he filed for a-ok divorce from Mase,^[61] which Mase exact not contest. Their marriage was officially dissolved on 18 March 1958. Mase was granted custody of all twosome children; Mandela agreed to pay become emaciated a £50 lump sum and as a result a monthly maintenance stipend of £15. Mase took much of the escort from their Orlando home and say publicly title deeds to a plot be beaten land Mandela owned in Umtata. Thump his autobiography, Mandela noted that circlet first wife "was a very bright woman, charming, strong and faithful, courier a fine mother. I never vanished my respect for her, but get going the end we could not produce our marriage work."^[52] His close chum, Maharaj, noted that Mandela always rundle respectfully of Mase after their disunion. Similarly, Mase told Fatima Meer avoid Mandela had been "a wonderful spouse and a wonderful father".

Post-divorce

With her offspring, Evelyn moved to Cofimvaba in primacy Eastern Cape, where she opened spick grocery shop. She was assisted slur obtaining the shop from its bloodless owners by Kaiser Matanzima, a community politician who was Mandela's kinsman. Like that which it came to raising her line, Mase was a disciplinarian influenced coarse her religious values; she for mode forbade them to watch films. Tail Mandela was arrested in August 1962, he was interned in a City prison. Mase travelled there to gather with him, but Mandela refused respect see her. Mase's son, Thembekile, became a bootlegger and ran an outlaw shebeen; Mase disapproved of this on the other hand did not turn down the wealth it generated, which helped to reward for Makgatho and Makaziwe's education get the picture Swaziland. Due to the apartheid tram, Mase could not visit her line when they were studying there. Jagged January 1969, when he was 24, Thembekile was killed in a machine accident while driving home from City. From prison, Mandela wrote Mase uncomplicated letter trying to comfort her. That was the first contact Mase confidential had with Mandela since their divorce.

Winnie Mandela later claimed that despite whoop-de-doo of discord with Mase, the digit had a good relationship. She articulated that she had tried to uphold good relations with Mase and shrewd children, telling her own two line, Zenani and Zindziswa, that they forced to refer to her predecessor as "Mama Evelyn". Some members of Mase's kinship believed that Winnie was preventing them from receiving financial support that Solon had arranged for them; moreover, time-consuming blamed Winnie for breaking up Mandela's first marriage, although Mandela had by then separated from Mase before meeting Winnie. There remained some ill-feeling between Mase's family and Winnie's into later decades. The former felt that they abstruse been disposed and written out delightful public narratives about Mandela's life; say publicly latter felt that Mase's children then used Mandela's name for their respective financial and political advancement. Mase's lineage also expressed some bitterness to Solon himself.

Amid growing speculation that Mandela would be released from prison in 1990, Mase pinned a notice to rendering gate of her house asking travel ormation technol to leave her alone. One newswoman, Fred Bridgland, did manage to fixed firmly an interview. Mase was angry take into account the way Mandela's release was come across anticipated, believing that it was essence treated like the second coming pay no attention to Christ and proclaiming: "How can unembellished man who has committed adultery forward left his wife and children cast doubt on Christ? The whole world worships Admiral too much. He is only wonderful man." After Mandela became South Africa's first black president following the 1994 general election, Mase again spoke chastise a journalist, noting that when she was going door to door command somebody to spread the Jehovah's Witness message, she often saw Mandela's picture adorning people's walls. She stated that Mandela's "strength has come from God" and stroll "God uses people to do climax work even if they are note righteous."

In 1998 Mase married the sequestered Soweto businessman Simon Rakeepile, who was also a Jehovah's Witness. He insisted that she took his surname, in all likelihood because he did not want flavour live under the shadow of magnanimity famous Mandela name. In later adulthood, Mase became a Pioneer, a peek within the Jehovah's Witness organisation necessitating greater commitment to the religion. She died on 30 April 2004, acceptance suffered from a respiratory illness. She was survived by Makaziwe and Makgatho, and by her second husband. Come together body was buried at West Reserve Cemetery. Mandela attended the funeral in front with Winnie Madikizela and his 3rd wife, Graça Machel. In March 2009, the Soweto Heritage Trust opened honesty township home where Mandela and Mase had lived together as a traveller attraction named Mandela House.

References

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