2 April 2026, South Africa: Today, Netflix unveiled the official trailer for the seven-part documentary series, The Trials of Winnie Mandela, set to premiere exclusively on the service on 23 April 2026. The trailer, released on the eighth anniversary of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s passing, marks a moment of reflection on her legacy.
Directed by the late, two-time Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Mandy Jacobson, the series unfolds from the perspective of Madikizela-Mandela’s granddaughters, HRH Princess Zaziwe Manaway (née Dlamini) and HRH Princess Swati Mandela-Dlamini, who is also credited as a producer, as they set out to find the essence of their iconic grandmother, affectionately known to them as ‘Big Mommy’. Through their journey, the story pieces together a portrait shaped by personal accounts, family memory, and public record.
Audiences will hear the ‘Mother of the Nation’ in her own words as she reflects on her childhood, her activism, and her relationships as a wife, mother, and comrade, drawing on never-before-seen footage from the later years of the struggle icon’s life. The series explores the controversies that defined her public image, including the headlines and scandals that followed her, as well as her persecution by the apartheid regime. The biography includes the voices of her detractors and some of her harshest critics, offering a fuller view of a life lived under unforgiving, relentless scrutiny.
Drawing on a range of prominent voices, the documentary contextualises Madikizela-Mandela’s life and impact, including former Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke, Former President Kgalema Motlanthe anti-apartheid activist Dr Nakedi Mathews Phosa, Advocate Thuli Madonsela, political analyst and writer Sisonke Msimang, human rights lawyer Yasmin Sooka, visual artists Nkululeko Mahlangu and Loyiso Mkize, newspaper editor Mondli Makhanya, and Madikizela-Mandela’s longtime personal assistant Zodwa Zwane.
Also featured are members of the notorious Nelson Mandela Football Club, as well as family members of Siboniso Tshabalala and Stompie Moeketsi, who reflect on the lasting wounds of their deaths and Madikizela-Mandela’s involvement. Together, these perspectives contribute to a layered retelling that examines both the historical significance and the enduring complexity of her legacy.
Synopsis
Like most families, the Madikizela-Mandela family is complicated – complex characters and stories that hover between half-truths and never-spoken-about moments. As two granddaughters discover, when they go on a journey to find the essence of their grandmother. But this is no ordinary grandmother. This is Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, one of South Africa’s greatest feminist icons – a revered, global figure. One whose legacy continues to remain shrouded in mystery and intrigue. An icon embroiled in allegations of kidnapping, assault and murder.
Cast & Crew
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Indelible Media and The African Oral History Archive
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Ivor Ichikowitz, Mandy Jacobson, John Nyoka
PRODUCERS: Barbara King, HRH Princess Swati Mandela-Dlamini
DIRECTORS: Mandy Jacobson (Deceased)
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