The Origin of Mama Winnie Mandela Commemorative Blanket Journey

For over two decades, the desire to honour Mama Winnie grew. On 25 March 2012 in Cape Town, following a visit from Cai Wensheng, the decision crystalized: return to the blanket craft only if it could commemorate Mama Winnie — in her likeness, with her blessing, and for the world.

We sought to meet her directly, eye to eye, with respect — not through intermediaries — and request permission to create a commemorative blanket ensuring she finds a permanent place in homes everywhere.

Extensive research into Mama Winnie’s life led us to the cover image of her book “491 Days.” In July 2015, we traveled to China to make the first prototype a reality — even as we had yet to meet her.

Later that year, at an International Renewable Energy Conference in Cape Town, Mayor Nozibele Makanda became a pivotal ally. We addressed SALGA EC and presented the first concept edition on 04 November 2015.

By February 2016, the project gained municipal support in Queenstown. Through Mayor Makanda we connected with Zodwa Zwane, Mama’s personal assistant, who arranged the first meeting on 02 September 2016.

Though Mama was unwell that day and we didn’t meet face to face, she saw the concept blanket. Zodwa returned with tears, sharing Mama’s powerful emotional response — along with notes for refinements and her autograph on “491 Days,” validating the project.

We spent a month at the blanket factory refining the artwork. A master Chinese artist repainted Mama’s image frame by frame until her eyes came alive — luminous and true to her spirit — culminating in the masterpiece blanket you see today.

Mama joyfully received three blankets — for herself, Zenani, and Zindzi. In an unforgettable moment, she looked me in the eye and said, “From this day forward you are my son and you can call me Mother.”

We met Ambassador Zindzi and Swati Dlamini; the room was filled with love, humour, and resolve as Mama embraced the project and its purpose.

We signed the official Commemorative Blanket agreement in June 2017 and moved from Cape Town to Johannesburg in July to focus entirely on the project. Visits with Mama became regular; traditional Chinese medicine supported her well-being under her instruction and trust.

Mama often joked about the surveillance of her calls, yet always kept her wit and warmth. The bond deepened into family.

A jubilant photoshoot on Mama’s cherished balcony captured her spirit. She personally signed each Certificate of Authenticity, insistent on doing them all herself. She envisioned youth skills development in Soweto funded through the blanket — impact over institutions.

She asked that the launch be in Soweto — a street party for the people. Though she could not attend, her excitement was boundless.

We shared homemade food, acupuncture, and birthday plans. Soon after her passing, we were honoured as family during the memorial and funeral. The pledge remains: to ensure the success of the Commemorative Blanket Project and immortalise her legacy.

For the past 20 years or more Mama Winnie has been in my mind regarding how to honour and commemorate her incredible life, and her sacrifice as a Woman for a political cause. I thought a picture of her being jubilant on a blanket would be the most appropriate way to immortalize her and her legacy, and to ensure that she finds a permanent space in everyone’s home. Cai Wensheng, my Chinese Brother and business associate based in Jiangsu Province, China, visited my wife, Huey-Jin and I in Cape Town. Upon arrival at our residence in Cape Town, on 25 March 2012, which is our wedding anniversary (Huey-Jin and I), Wensheng convinced me to get back into the blanket business after 10 years, with one huge difference - I would only get back into the blanket business on condition I could convince Mama Winnie to agree for us to manufacture and market worldwide a Commemorative Blanket of her. I wanted to meet her in person and look her in the eye, not through anyone or any foundation or organization, and say to her that the blanket is what I wanted to do for her, and that she must decide whether she wanted me to do it for her or not. I had no idea as to how we were going to meet her, because we had no direct connection or direct association with her. We did not even know anybody close to her or directly associated with her. My wife and I lived in Killarney from 2002 to 2006 and we would shop at Killarney Shopping Mall. For some reason or the other Mama Winnie also liked to visit Killarney Shopping Mall where we experienced on a few occasions unexpected interactions with her purely by means of respectful greetings in passing at the mall. She was always friendly and respectful to everybody who greeted her, always returned the greetings, and what struck me profoundly was that she always genuinely wanted to know how we were doing. She has this incredible presence, compassion, and humanity. Both Huey-Jin and I started by means of doing extensive research on Mama Winnie, her life and history as well as simultaneously searched for the perfect image of Mama Winnie to be portrayed on her blanket. In doing so we discovered that Mama Winnie and Huey-Jin shared the same birthdate - 26 September. We eventually decided to use the image of Mama Winnie on the cover page of her book “491 Days”. In July 2015 Huey-Jin and I went to China after we decided the time has arrived for this dream project to become a reality. The Mama Winnie Commemorative Blanket idea turned into a reality on that trip to China by means of the first prototype or first edition of the blanket to be manufactured, but I still had no access to her yet. I do not believe in coincidence, but only the forces of energy especially after an unsuccessful experience with Arthur Mabasa, I emphatically said to Huey-Jin that the only way we are going to meet with Mama Winnie is to associate ourselves with a prominent Female politician. Low and behold in October 2015 Huey-Jin and I attended an International Renewable Energy Conference in Cape Town whereas I got to meet my prominent Female politician, Mayor Nozibele Makanda. She is the former Mayor of Queenstown, but at the time of meeting her she was Mayor of Queenstown. Over a two-day period attending the conference, the concept of the Mama Winnie Mandela Commemorative Blanket was extensively discussed with Nozibele Makanda and her colleagues. She immediately arranged an invitation for my wife and me, not just to attend the Eastern Cape SALGA Assembly at the end of October, but to address the assembly as how to go about conducting business with China, renewable energy, and the Mama Winnie Mandela Commemorative Blanket project. We addressed the Assembly with great success and at the Gala dinner on 04 November 2015 we displayed and presented the first concept edition of the Mama Winnie Mandela Commemorative Blanket to the entire Assembly participants. What followed was radio interviews with Radio Algoa and a serious of business trips to Queenstown for renewable energy and to promote a possible blanket value adding operation to be established in Queenstown. In February 2016 we addressed a Mayoral Executive Council meeting for the Adoption of a Resolution for the support of the Mama Winnie Mandela Commemorative Blanket Project to be based in Queenstown as a value adding job creation initiative project. Through the Mayor we managed to secure a meeting through a mutual friend in Ekurhuleni with Zodwa Zwane, Mama Winnie’s personal assistant. On 2nd September 2016 Zodwa Zwane arranged the first ever scheduled meeting to meet Mama Winnie for the first time ever in person. It was incredible when we arrived at Mama’s home in Orlando West, Soweto, how you could feel her incredible presence without hearing or seeing her in person. It brought back memories to my wife and me of the few occasions we had personal encountering’s with Mama Winnie at Killarney Shopping Mall. We never introduced ourselves to her at the time, but she eventually recognised us once she sees us entering or exiting the mall, always stopping and asking us how we are after we respectfully greeted her. On 02 September 2016 it was my wife, former Mayor Makanda, and myself arriving at Mama’s house to meet her in person and to present her with the concept blanket and obviously the project. Since we were using the cover page of the 491 Days book, I needed her consent using the front cover page image of her that appears on the book, and I needed her to autograph the book for me as her signature authenticating the blanket project and the blanket itself. I insisted that I wanted to meet Mama Winnie in person, to firstly express my respect, love and gratitude as well as to apologise for what we have done to her and the pain we caused her over all the years, and secondly to explain to her that the blanket is the most appropriate way that I could humanly think of to commemorate her and to immortalise her legacy. I wanted to tell her that I would have given everything in my life to be able to call her MY MOTHER. I wanted to tell her that the blanket is the only way that I humbly suggest that she will be forever in the minds and hearts of all people around the world. Most importantly I wanted to hear from her personally saying to me that she likes the idea, that she agrees with the idea, that she supports and endorses the idea, or she does not like the idea and that I must go away and never bother her ever again. We waited, for what felt like an eternity that day in her own stairs lounge due to Mama not being well that day. She had doctors, nurses, and physio therapists attending to her most of the afternoon. Eventually, Zodwa came to us and said that Mama will be seeing us soon, but she cannot guarantee that we will be able to meet Mama. Needless to say, we felt disappointed, but understood her medical condition and situation. After yet another lengthy period of waiting Zodwa informed us that Mama is just not in a condition to meet us in person, but Zodwa must show her the blanket and explained as best as she can as what we propose. Now at that moment, I thought this is the sign I was waiting for that we would never get to meet her in person and I would never get to explain to her personally as to how much I love and respect her as well as how we would like to honour and commemorate her. We waited for another eternity while Zodwa showed her the blanket and discussed with her the proposed project. Zodwa eventually appeared from upstairs where Mama’s bedroom is with the blanket, clearly being displayed to Mama and with tears in her eyes. She was literally shaking, and after composing herself, she says that in all the years that she knows Mama and has been with Mama, she has never seen Mama reacting this way. I immediately thought by myself what have I done to this incredible Woman, have I insulted her, have I agitated her. Zodwa came to my recue to say that Mama was in tears when she saw the blanket and specifically asked why somebody would do such a thing for her. Needless to say, we were all in tears. Zodwa then handed me the most precious gift that I have ever received in my life, the signed copy of the 491 Days book. I then knew that Mama liked the idea of her blanket. Zodwa informed us of a few small changes that Mama would like us to make and where her signature must be on the blanket just as the autographed book she gave me. Sadly, Nozibela Makanda never got to meet Mama in person due to Mama’s passing and former Mayor Makanda had her own challenges after the initiated meeting of September 2016, time passed, and she just could never get the time to meet Mama. However, Mama got to know about her and the journey with her until the point of her at least being at Mama’s house. My wife and I lived in Cape Town at the time, and in November 2016 we left for China to finalise the final version of the signed Mama Winnie Mandela Commemorative Blanket to go to production. We spend the best part of a month at the blanket factory perfecting Mama’s Blanket. I was not happy with the clarity of the image of Mama on the concept blanket as well as her eyes was not nearly as bright on the blanket as in real life. I wanted her eyes to come alive on the blanket and shines as bright as they do in real life all the time, irrespective of her difficulties, illnesses, aches and pains, which were severe and agonising, as well as everything that she had to mentally endure during her life. We eventually track down a very dear and longstanding friend, who is a Master Chinese artist, painter, and calligrapher. He felt my passion for this incredible Woman, and he spent a week painting Mama’s image on silk screens frame for frame until both of us were satisfied, and Mama’s eyes became alive. The result is the beautiful Mama Winnie Commemorative Blanket mater piece that you see today and that each household should possess. As our slogan says, “Mama Winnie forever in our hearts and homes”. On 24 February 2017 my wife Huey-Jin and I met Mama Winnie in person. She sent a message jokingly via Zodwa saying she would only meet us if we brought three blankets – one for her, one for Zenani, and one for Zindzi. What a moment when she appeared from her bedroom coming into her private balcony just outside her bedroom. I called that her sanctuary, because I could see that she found peace there. I will never in my entire life forget that first face to face meeting with Mama Winnie – incredibly beautiful charismatic Woman I want to call My Mother. We obviously brought three, one for each as instructed. We did not get to meet Her Royal Highness Zenani, but we met with Madam Ambassador Zindzi with whom we took some pictures together with Mama. I will never forget how incredibly gentle, humble and loving Mama Winnie was on our first personal meeting. I fell to my knees in front of her with tears in my eyes, and I said to her that if I could ever have the honour to call another Woman my Mother, it would be her. I said to her that I had waited my entire life for this moment. She looked me straight in the eye and said to me from this day forward you are my son and you can call me Mother. Needless to say, from that day onwards my wife and I will call her Mama. We had quite the audience that day. We met Madam Ambassador Zindzi, who I have the greatest regard and respect for. She is an incredibly brave woman, straight forward in speaking her mind, but we got on from the word go. The moment Mama adopted me as her son, I immediately had two sisters I never had. We met Swati Dlamini – daughter to Her Royal Highness Zenani, who was also at the time the curator for Mama’s book 491 Days. Mama instructed her accountant Ebrahim Chand to be present as well. We had an incredible memorable afternoon with Mama. Mama was incredibly happy and excited about her blanket and the project. We discussed the details of the project with Mama, Zindzi, the accountant, and Zodwa, who was Mama’s PA. Mama asked firstly why I would do something like this for her. My answer to her was: How could anybody not does this for you? She then asked me who was going to buy her blanket. I said to her that there is no man in this world that would not want to sleep under Mama Winnie. She burst out laughing from her stomach. She then asked me how many blankets I thought we would sell. I replied that right from the beginning for some reason or the other 5,000,000 blankets worldwide is in my mind. She then asked me when are we were going to know when to the end it? I said to her that one day she and I will sit like today looking at each other and we will receive a sign confirming that it has run its run. However, I do not believe that there is a timeframe or lifespan to this Commemorative Blanket, since it will immortalize her legacy. Mama was not well that day. She was swollen, her colour was not good, and you could see she was in pain. She was so incredibly loving and humble that you would not notice it if you do not pay sincere attention due to her incredible presence and being overwhelmed by the fact that you are meeting Mama Winnie in person in her home. My wife and I expressed our concerns about her health and suggested alternative Chinese herbal and traditional medicine. She called her head nurse and discussed the option of Chinese traditional medicine. Mama believed in it and instructed us to find her a proper Chinese traditional medical practitioner. Both my wife and I were taken back by the honour that has just been bestowed upon us that Mama Winnie is entrusting us with her health. We went on to find her the best Chinese Traditional Medical Practitioners in South Africa that would give her acupuncture and herbal medication until a week before she passed away. It was the greatest honour ever given to us to be able to care and provide for Mama Winnie, especially being trusted with her health. We were invited to attend the launch event of Swati’s fashion range in May 2017, where we finalised the last few details of the agreement between Mama and myself as well as I promised her to establish the entire business operation in Soweto. In June 2107 we officially signed the Mama Winnie Mandela Commemorative Blanket project agreement with Mama Winnie and soon after that finalize the arrangements with the manufacturing operation in China to commence manufacturing of the blanket. On 27 July 2017 my wife and I relocated from Cape Town back to Johannesburg just for the Mama Winnie Mandela Commemorative Blanket Project. We spent some incredible time with Mama from this time onwards. We would visit her regularly at her home in Soweto. My wife would cook and prepare homemade Chinese food specifically to Mama’s preference, which she loved and appreciated so dearly. We would accompany the Chinese medical practitioners all the time as they performed acupuncture treatment on Mama until the very last days f her living life. She would be so irritated with her walking crutch, which she came walking into the balcony area with after an acupuncture session saying to me look at me how I am walking without that bloody stick, soon I am going to throw that bloody stick away. We would regularly speak on the phone, sometimes at night, especially after she had acupuncture treatment. I was one of the very few people in her life that had a direct line to her even to the extent that she instructed her staff compliment that if I phone and she does not answer personally that the phone must be brought to her to take my call. From time to time the call would drop for some reason or the other, and once I phoned her back she would embarrassingly be saying to me that she was talking to herself and even go out into the passage to make sure nobody heard her talking to herself. We would have such a great laugh about it, and then she will jokingly say to me she thinks I am on the same list as her being listed as a terrorist and that that they are listening in on our calls. I will never forget one Thursday afternoon after she received acupuncture treatment my wife and left going home and soon after we arrived I received a phone call from Mama, but I could hear this phone call was different. She asked whether we could come back to the house, because she wanted us to meet her grandson Zondwa Mandela. We immediately drove back to the house, because Mama said it was important that we meet with Zondwa. We met for about an hour or so, but what happened afterwards are memories of time spent with Mama that people can only dream about and that will be forever part of our DNA to both my wife and me. After Zondwa left Mama said that we should spend some time with her in her bedroom. My wife and I ended up shoes off sitting on the floor in Mama’s bedroom talking, laughing, joking about anything and everything for hours. Her head nurse Sasha eventually came and chased us away, and Mama said to her that she should leave us alone; she was spending time with her adopted children. It was the most precious time spent with this incredible Woman that I cannot explain. It was like a fairy-tale. I remember asking her why she chosen us to do this for her, and she merely humbly just replied why not us. I mean she could have chosen anybody more important, more significant than us, but she chosen us to Honour and commemorate her life and to ensure her legacy. She loved the blanket extremely much, and she wanted to be directly involved with the project. I will forever remember that she on numerous occasions looked me straight in the eye and repeat three times saying to me “I am relying on you, I am relying on you, I am relying on you.” One of the elements of the project was the official launch event of the blanket, and what very few people realise, not even her two daughters knows, that she specifically requested from us not to do the event anywhere else than in Soweto, and that she actually wanted to have a street party as the launch event. We unfortunately never got her to attend the launch of her Commemorative Blanket project, since she sadly passed away before the scheduled date. She was so excited and was so much looking forward to the launch event. We had a formal photoshoot with her on 16 March 2018 at her home on her sanctuary balcony adjacent to her bedroom. She was like a little girl in her most joyous element. She had an incredibly good day, took pictures with just about everyone. The blanket comes with a unique numbered and personally signed Certificate of Authenticity. Mama personally signed the certificate, and she was so eager to sign them all personally that sometimes she would fall asleep behind the pen but insisted with her nursing staff that she wants to sign each one of them. She very often said to me that the certificate is so precious and beautiful that we should sell them separately. She was very concerned about the female youth in Soweto, therefore we included a clause in our agreement that we will establish a skills development program and facility training and teaching young people, but also ensure that they find jobs and business opportunities once qualified. Mama did not want a foundation or her Commemorative Blanket project to be part of the Mandela Foundation or any foundation, she wanted grass root people to directly benefit from her blanket project and proceeds from selling the blanket to go directly to female youth skills development, education, and job creation. She made me promise her whenever she said to me these words “this blanket is mine, but I want you to ensure that each and every single household in Soweto owns one of my blankets” I promise her that I will fulfil her wish. The last time my wife and I visited her was on 23 March 2018. My wife prepared homemade Chinese food for her, she had an acupuncture treatment session, and for some reason or the other we were talking about birthday celebrations, my wife and Mama Winnie share the same birthdate – 26 September. Mama was very upset that the two of them have not been able to spend a birthday together and pledged that it will never happen again. Mama categorically said that day that she will make sure that they spend their birthdays together from that day on. The last time I ever spoke to her was on that very same Thursday evening before Easter weekend wanting to know whether she was fine, how Zindzi is doing, and to wish her a happy Easter Weekend, because I knew we would not see her over the weekend since she will be occupied with the family. Interestingly Mama’s head nurse Sasha was at the hospital when Mama passed away, and the moment she was informed of Mama’s passing she immediately phoned us, saying that we were the first people she thought of phoning. My wife and I were very honoured when we were accredited by the family as “Family Members” for the Memorial and Funeral proceedings. It was an incredible honour, never to be forgotten, and always to be held dearly. My wife and I were for some reason or the other meant to be part of this Incredible Iconic Woman, Mama Winnie Madikizela Mandela, which I had the privilege and honour to call MAMA. She has given me a responsibility of a lifetime, which I embrace with every single fibre of my body, to ensure the success of her Commemorative Blanket Project, and to immortalise her Legacy.