Winnie Madikizela-Mandela will be welcomed into heaven by other struggle heroes such as Adelaide Tambo, Albertina Sisulu and Lillian Ngoyi.
This was the view of Dali Tambo, who came to pay his respects to the late struggle hero at her house in Vilakazi Street, Soweto.
"There is a lot of emotion in me, because I know also, she is going up to heaven. My mother, Albertina Sisulu, Lilian Ngoyi, they’re all up there, and they will greet her. They will give her a standing ovation and they’ll say, 'That was a life really well lived, congratulations'," Tambo, the son of struggle heroes Oliver and Adelaide, said on Friday.
After leaving the house, he described Winnie as a "rare tiger" who should be celebrated for what she did.
"I think it is sad, but we must celebrate, because you don’t get a lot of Winnie Mandelas, regardless of what country you are, you don’t get a lot of Winnie Mandelas. We have seen the passing of an era," he said.
"She was like a rare tiger that is almost a symbol of the extinction of that tiger species, in that what follows after the Winnie Mandelas, the Albertina Sisulus, follows in a democracy and not in a field of struggle.
"I think the most important thing is, we must never forget her. We must celebrate her life and we must use her example to, not only strengthen ourselves, but our children. They must grow up knowing they are the product of women such as these lionesses, warrior queens, the type we may never see again," Tambo said.
Statue made of Madikizela-Mandela
He said he was planning on having a statue made of Madikizela-Mandela, with her fist in the air and dressed in traditional isiXhosa wear.
"I think it is going to be a powerful symbol for this generation and generations to come of this wonderful woman. And it is, of course, going to be an inspiration for young girls. As they grow, they will know this was an ordinary woman who did extraordinary things, and now is celebrated by the whole world," he said.
Tambo said, from "a personal perspective", he would remember her for her grace, love and warmth, as well as her and late husband Nelson Mandela’s friendship with his parents.
"So the two, Adelaide and Winnie, Oliver and Nelson, it’s been a lifelong friendship, and dedicated lives only for one purpose, the liberty and freedom of our people.
"I think that everyone is a normal human being," Tambo said.
"When your good side far outweighs any issues, that is what we must focus on. We will never see the like of Winnie Mandela again.
"We must appreciate what we had, mourn her, but celebrate and use her to inspire others. Nobody joins a political struggle or a revolution coming in the door saying, 'I am perfect'. But they do their best, and she did her best."