I was married to the ANC. It was the best marriage I ever had.

“I was married to the ANC. It was the best marriage I ever had.” — Winnie Madikizela-Mandela

In these fierce and unforgettable words, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the “Mother of the Nation,” bares the heart of a warrior who gave her life not to comfort or companionship, but to a cause — to the struggle for freedom. When she said she was married to the ANC — the African National Congress, the movement that fought against apartheid — she was not speaking in jest or bitterness. She was declaring that her truest bond, her deepest vow, was not to one man, even the great Nelson Mandela, but to the liberation of her people. For Winnie, the ANC was not merely a political party; it was the soul of a nation in chains, the embodiment of suffering and hope. And to be wed to that cause was to give herself wholly, even unto pain, loneliness, and exile.

Her words arise from the crucible of South Africa’s struggle against apartheid, a system that dehumanized millions and divided families for generations. While Nelson Mandela languished in prison for twenty-seven years, Winnie became the voice and symbol of resistance. She endured house arrests, surveillance, imprisonment, and isolation. Yet, through it all, she did not retreat. The “marriage” she speaks of was forged in fire — a covenant between her soul and the movement for justice. It was a union of purpose, sealed by suffering, sanctified by endurance. In this sense, her love for the ANC was not political convenience; it was spiritual devotion.

To understand the depth of her words, one must remember that Winnie’s personal life was consumed by the revolution. Her marriage to Nelson was tested by separation, by the cruel hand of oppression, and by the unrelenting demands of leadership. Where others sought comfort in home, she found it in the streets, in the chants of protest, in the courage of the poor and oppressed. When the world turned its eyes toward the imprisoned Mandela, it was Winnie who carried his name upon her back, keeping the flame of his legacy alive. In this way, her “marriage” to the ANC was not metaphor alone — it was the reality of a woman who had no room in her heart for anything less than total devotion to freedom.

History is filled with such figures — men and women who gave themselves so completely to a cause that they became one with it. Think of Joan of Arc, who called herself the bride of France, and who walked to the stake rather than betray her divine calling. Think of Mother Teresa, wedded to the poor, who vowed not to rest while others suffered. Such souls are rare, for they live not by the laws of comfort, but by the fire of conviction. Like them, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela bore both glory and pain — honored as a hero, yet later condemned by controversy and sorrow. But whether saint or sinner in the eyes of history, her devotion to her people remained unbroken.

In saying that her union with the ANC was “the best marriage,” Winnie acknowledged that earthly love may fade, but the love of purpose endures. Marriage, in its truest sense, is not simply the joining of two individuals, but the fusion of souls united in a shared destiny. Hers was a marriage to an ideal — freedom, justice, and the dignity of her people. While others saw the ANC as a political machine, she saw it as the beating heart of South Africa’s resurrection. In dedicating her life to it, she became both mother and martyr, her story intertwined forever with the nation’s rebirth.

And yet, there is tragedy in her words too. To be “married to the cause” is to live a life of sacrifice — to trade personal peace for the relentless struggle of a larger calling. Her marriage to the ANC may have been her greatest union, but it also cost her the simple joys that most hearts long for. The love of family, the ease of home, the serenity of rest — these she forfeited at the altar of freedom. Her life teaches that greatness is never free; it demands everything, even the heart itself.

So let this be the lesson passed down to those who seek meaning and purpose: devotion to a cause is the highest form of love, but it must be chosen with courage and clarity. Do not offer your life lightly, for such vows cannot be broken without breaking the soul. Whether your calling is justice, truth, art, or service, let it be a marriage of integrity — not for power or praise, but for the good that outlives you. Like Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, may you learn that love of purpose can be as profound as love of person, and that the noblest marriage of all is the union between one’s heart and the truth one was born to serve.