'Winnie Madikizela-Mandela is greedy'

A senior member of the AbaThembu royal family has lashed out at Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s court bid for former President Nelson Mandela’s Qunu home, calling her application opportunistic and greedy.

Madikizela-Mandela made shocking claims in her court application, saying the marriage certificate submitted to court for the divorce proceedings from Mandela was forged.

But royal family member Daludumo Mtirara said Madikizela-Mandela’s claims were not recognised by the royal family.

“Her actions are opportunistic. She is hell-bent on denting Dalibhunga’s (Mandela’s praise name) good name and his legacy. We will not allow that to happen. She is an ex-wife,” he said.

Mtirara questioned why Madikizela-Mandela had never raised these concerns previously with the Madiba royal family.

“To us there is no challenge on Madiba’s will. Nobody ever challenged it – his wife, ex-wife and children. Such a claim comes as a shock to us,” he said.

“We applauded Nkosi Dalibhunga for stating that the Qunu home would become a home for all his children and that the oldest grandson, Nkosi Zwelivelile (Mandla Mandela) be the head according to our custom.”

Mtirara said the Madiba clan regarded Graca Machel as Madiba’s widow and Madikizela-Mandela as his ex-wife.

“They divorced many years ago and she never complained to us or with any institution that the divorce was fake. We were informed by Madiba that they were divorced and she also confirmed, hence she no longer stayed with him. Now what she wants to show is that she is greedy even for things she does not have a legitimate claim over,” said Mtirara.

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Mtirara, who oversaw the mourning ceremonies for Mandela and the cleansing (ukukhululwa kwezila), said the family was shocked when Madikizela-Mandela had worn mourning clothes.

“She cannot use that as one of her launch pads to go around saying we confirmed her as a wife of Dalibhunga. We kept quiet because we did not want to embarrass her as an elderly woman,” said Mtirara.

Madikizela-Mandela’s lawyer Mvuzo Notyesi said the legal team was still investigating some of the aspects of the case including the allegedly forged marriage certificate.

Mandela’s former lawyer Ismail Ayob, who oversaw the divorce proceedings, is keeping mum on the matter.

“What is clear is that, that certificate is the one that was submitted to the court divorce hearing as an exhibit. That certificate is an annexure in the court files in the court case,” he said when contacted for comment.

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