Netflix Unveils Official Trailer for The Trials of Winnie Mandela

Netflix today unveiled the official trailer for The Trials of Winnie Mandela, a seven-part documentary series premiering exclusively on the service on 23 April 2026. Released on the eighth anniversary of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s passing, the trailer arrives as a poignant moment of reflection on her enduring legacy.

Directed by the late two-time Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Mandy Jacobson, the series is told through the eyes of Madikizela-Mandela’s granddaughters, HRH Princess Zaziwe Manaway (née Dlamini) and HRH Princess Swati Mandela-Dlamini, who also serves as a producer on the project. Together, they embark on a deeply personal journey to uncover the essence of their iconic grandmother, affectionately known to them as “Big Mommy.”Through intimate family memories, personal testimonies, and the public record, the series pieces together a powerful portrait of one of South Africa’s most complex and influential figures.

Audiences will hear from the “Mother of the Nation” in her own words as she reflects on her childhood, her political awakening, and her roles as a wife, mother, activist, and comrade. Drawing on never-before-seen footage from the later years of her life, the series offers rare insight into the woman behind the public persona.

The Trials of Winnie Mandela also confronts the controversies that came to define her public image — from the headlines and scandals that followed her to the persecution she endured under the apartheid regime. By including the voices of both supporters and critics, the documentary presents a nuanced and unflinching account of a life lived under extraordinary pressure and relentless public scrutiny.

Caption: Artwork by Loyiso Mkize, created for The Trials of Winnie Mandela

Caption: HRH Princess Zaziwe Manaway (née Dlamini) and HRH Princess Swati Mandela-Dlamini in The Trials of Winnie Mandela

Featuring a wide range of prominent voices, the documentary further contextualises Madikizela-Mandela’s life, political impact, and cultural legacy. Contributors include 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.

The series also features members of the notorious Nelson Mandela Football Club, as well as family members of Siboniso Tshabalala and Stompie Moeketsi, who reflect on the lasting pain of their deaths and Madikizela-Mandela’s involvement. Together, these voices form a layered and thought-provoking retelling that examines both the historical significance and enduring complexity of her legacy.