SAN FRANCISCO�The Mother of the South African revolution toured the Bay Area recently, continuing her fight for the liberation of Black people worldwide. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, South African freedom fighter and the former wife of Nelson Mandela, spoke to a group of children studying South Africa, visited the co-founder of the Crips street organization on death row in San Quentin State Prison, and she accepted an invitation from the Nation of Islam to speak to the community.

Minister Christopher Muhammad of Muhammad Mosque No. 26 here read a city proclamation declaring October 30 "Winnie Mandela Day" before introducing her to the overflowing standing room only crowd.

"San Francisco is proud to recognize and honor Winnie Mandela," read the city proclamation. "Whereas, since the 1950s Winnie Mandela has been involved in the South African liberation struggle . . . whereas Winnie Mandela remains true to the ideas of equality and justice for all the people of South Africa, and whereas, Winnie Mandela�s courage and leadership abilities have triumphed over her political harassment and personal pain, now therefore be it resolved that I, Willie L. Brown Jr., Mayor of the city and county of San Francisco, honor Winnie Mandela for her dedication and commitment to racial equality and do hereby proclaim October 30, 1999, as Winnie Mandela Day in San Francisco."

Ms. Mandela accepted the proclamation thanking the mayor and the overwhelming reception of the community. She then spoke of her and the South African people�s love of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.

"My dearest brother Louis Farrakhan means more to us in South Africa than you realize," Ms. Mandela said. "He�s not only our spiritual leader, he is something we value as God�s gift to mankind."

Ms. Mandela said the people of South Africa were praying right along with the people in America for the full recovery of the Minister, who is healing from the effects of prostate cancer treatment.

"We have derived a lot of inspiration from our brother�s teachings; he has replaced the Bible in our country," Ms. Mandela said to the cheers of the capacity crowd. "We miss him so much that we play his cassettes and we are healed by just listening to his voice."

Ms. Mandela said the highlight of her four-day trip to the Bay Area was her visit to the mosque and that she was looking forward to receiving an invitation to the Million Family March on Oct. 16, 2000.

"The love Winnie Mandela expressed for the Honorable Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam helped us to see the tremendous value of the Minister as a source of inspiration not only in America, but for our people all over the world," said Min. Christopher. "It shows how the Million Man March and the World Friendship Tours have truly bonded the Nation of Islam to the liberation struggle of oppressed people all over the world."

More people from South Africa should visit their people in America and more Blacks should take the pilgrimage to South Africa, Ms. Mandela said.

"We are the same people, one struggle on many fronts," said Dr. Cobi Kwasi Harris, the chair of the Black Studies Department of San Jose State University and board member of the North Richmond Neighborhood House, the non-profit organization that sponsored Ms. Mandela�s trip. "We have struggled against the same beast of white supremacy together."

Ms. Mandela�s visit to the Bay Area was prompted by her interest in a project that gives children at the North Richmond Neighborhood House a chance to learn about the Internet and other countries. Even-tually, they will begin online chats with children in an after-school program in Cape Flats�a poor area of Cape Town�and with students at a Soweto high school.

Barbara Becnel, the center�s director, developed the project based on the anti-gang curriculum that she co-wrote with San Quentin death row inmate Stanley "Tookie" Williams. A co-founder of the Crips in Los Angeles, Mr. Williams has spent 18 years in prison. He and Ms. Mandela met for two hours in San Quentin before her visit to North Richmond.

Ms. Mandela, a member of South Africa�s parliament and president of the African National Congress Women�s League, said she was inspired by the Internet project.