Women in Mandla's life rip into him for converting to Islam

14 February 2016 - 02:00 By NASHIRA DAVIDS, PHILANI NOMBEMBE and GABI MBELE

Mandla Mandela is not only out of his mind, he is immature and made a serious mistake when he converted to Islam and married for the fourth time. Nelson Mandela's niece Gloria Mkwedini let rip this week about Mandla's "misguided" choice in marrying Rabia Clarke in Cape Town on Saturday."I think Mandla should have stuck to his religion and not converted because of this woman. What will happen if she leaves him?" said Mkwedini."He should have come to us as his elders for guidance. It is contrary to our culture for someone to leave his religion for that of his wife."I don't like what he did at all. He is now the head of the family and should have stood firm with this religion. It is the wife who should have converted."We expect him to carry my uncle's and my grandfather's legacies forward. But it is now clear that he is immature. I will have to accept his decision, but I will tell him how I feel and that he has made a serious mistake.mini_story_image_hleft1"I don't have a problem with the women he chose to marry, but what bothers me about this conversion is that this woman will also leave and he will be stuck with this religion. Mandla is out of his mind."Mandla's mother, Ann Nolusapho Moseshla, was among those at his side at a mosque in Kensington when he tied the knot. But not his aunt, Makaziwe Mandela, who said curtly: "Mandla getting married has nothing to do with me. Thank you very much. Bye."Meanwhile, his first wife, Tando Mabunu, has started legal action to annul the marriage to Clarke.Mabunu and Mandla have been involved in bruising divorce proceedings since 2009. They cemented their civil union in 2004 and she has successfully fought in court for the annulment of his subsequent marriages to Anais Grimaud and Nodiyala Mbali Makhathini."We will cite Mandla, Ms Clarke, the Department of Home Affairs and possibly the marriage officer who conducted the ceremony," said Mabunu's lawyer, Wesley Hayes."To the best of my knowledge, a Muslim marriage will only be valid where the marriage is solemnised by a marriage officer registered as such in terms of the Marriage Act. We are yet to establish if the officer in this case is so registered."Be that as it may, the marriage is in any event unlawful as no person can enter into a subsequent marriage while still married in civil law."Sheikh Ebrahim Gabriels, who often had contact with Nelson Mandela, was approached by Clarke's father to officiate at the marriage.On Thursday, Mandla and Makhathini arrived at parliament to attend the state of the nation address. He would not answer questions about Clarke's whereabouts.Instead the pair put on a display of public affection - they held hands, whispered to each other and he caressed her back as they posed for pictures.block_quotes_start We can't call on a traditional leader to leave his position merely because he belongs to Islam or any other religion block_quotes_endHayes said they hoped to file papers for the annulment in the High Court in Cape Town early next week. Hayes is also acting for Mandla's youngest brother, Mbuso Mandela, who has been accused of rape, and members of the Mandela family who took Mandla to court for moving the remains of Madiba's children from Qunu to Mvezo.Mandla saw red this week when reports surfaced that the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa, or Contralesa, had called on him to abdicate as chief of the Mvezo Traditional Council because he had converted to Islam.Council president Kgosi Setlamorago Thobejane said he called an "upset" Mandla to explain that their Eastern Cape leadership was merely concerned that he might have to abandon cultural practices and rituals."Mandla said: 'No, I have just made a choice [that] this is the religion I am going to follow. This has nothing to do with my tradition that I am born to. I'll make sure I will uphold it,'" said Thobejane.On Thursday, Mandla had a phone conversation with Nkosi Mwelo Nonkonyana, Contralesa chairman in the Eastern Cape, who denied having called for him to step down."We had to clarify ... we can't call on a traditional leader to leave his position merely because he belongs to Islam or any other religion. We uphold the right of each and every traditional leader to belong to any religion," said Nonkonyana.mini_story_image_hright2Their conversation was cut short because Mandla had to prepare for parliament. The only remaining concern was whether Mandla converted solely because he got married to Clarke. Nonkonyana explained in terms of tradition a wife should convert, but this issue would be discussed later.Mandla did not respond to numerous attempts by the Sunday Times to contact him this week.Cape Town cleric Sheikh Riyadh Walls said Mandla had converted to Islam in November in Lenasia. Last year, Walls helped Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe embrace Islam and he witnessed Mandla and Clarke's ceremony.Gabriels said Mandla was "cool and calm" on the day and his mother welcomed Clarke into the family, telling her: "I take you as my own daughter."He added: "I think he has a lot of the leadership qualities of his grandfather. He was even at the biggest march we had for Palestine. He was one of the speakers ... and spoke well for the people of Palestine."Gabriels recalled Mandla telling Clarke: "Rabia, you are my wife, but the way my grandfather raised me is that before family, the South African nation comes first ... we need to look after the minorities."The cleric said Clarke had chosen the name Rabia as a child because she was inspired by the eighth-century leader Rabia Basri."She asked her mother and grandfather if she could change her name to Rabia when she was 10. Then the grandfather called the whole family together and said: 'My granddaughter has changed her name to Rabia.'"sub_head_start Tale of wives and legal woes sub_head_end2004 June: Nkosi Zwelivelile (Mandla) Mandela and Tando Nodayimane Mabunu marry in a civil ceremony.2007: Mandla becomes chief of the Mvezo clan at the age of 32.2009: Mabunu files for divorce. Mandla is elected as an ANC MP.2010 March: Mandla marries 19-year-old Frenchwoman Anais Grimaud, from Reunion, in a traditional ceremony.mini_story_image_vright32011 June: The High Court in Mthatha restricts Mandla's access to his bank accounts to stop him from disposing of assets before the divorce from Mabunu.September 1: Grimaud gives birth to a son.September 16: Mandla and Grimaud present the child to Nelson Mandela at a naming ceremony in Qunu. The former president chooses the baby's name, Qheya Zanethemba Mandela.October: Mabunu has Mandla's marriage to Grimaud annulled in the High Court in Mthatha. Mabunu files an urgent application to try to interdict Mandla from marrying Swazi princess Nodiyala Makhathini. In it, she accuses him of beating her and committing adultery.December: Mabunu is granted an order by the High Court in Mthatha prohibiting Mandla from marrying anyone while still validly married to her.December 24: Mandla ignores the interdict and marries Makhathini in a traditional ceremony at the Mvezo Great Place.2012 May: Mabunu lays criminal charges against Mandla for allegedly failing to pay maintenance for four months.August: Mandla says Qheya is the result of an affair Grimaud had with one of his brothers. It is later confirmed that Mbuso Mandela, 21, is the father. Grimaud has returned to Reunion with Qheya.August 14: In an affidavit to the High Court in Mthatha, Mabunu claims Mandla is infertile.2014 February 7: Court annuls Mandla's marriage to Makhathini following an application from Mabunu.2016 February 6: Mandla marries Rabia Clarke at Kensington Mosque after converting to Islam in November last year...

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