Mandla Mandela pleased to close Winnie chapter

Mandla Mandela‚ the grandson of former president Nelson Mandela and chief of the Mvezo Traditional Council‚ has welcomed Friday's Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) ruling that effectively found against Winnie Madikizela-Mandela's claim to Madiba’s house in Qunu.

Madikizela-Mandela had appealed against a 2016 decision by the Eastern Cape High Court that she had no claim to the property and that Mandela was the rightful owner.

In his will‚ Madiba left the property to the Nelson Mandela Family Trust for the benefit of the family and that of his wife‚ Graca Machel‚ and her family. Madikizela-Mandela wanted the courts to overturn a 1997 decision by the erstwhile Minister of Land Affairs to donate the land to Mandela. But the SCA – in agreeing with the Mthatha High Court – found that there was an “unreasonable delay” by Madikizela-Mandela to review that decision.

"We believe that this outcome respects the last wishes of uNkosi Dalibhunga and is in accordance with his last will and testament as executed by the administrators of his estate and his family led by his wife Mamu Graca Machel and the Royal House of Mandela Chieftainship under my leadership‚" Mandla Mandela said in a statement.

"We are pleased to close this chapter of this saga and trust that it finally puts this matter to rest."

to Mandela. But the SCA – in agreeing with the Mthatha High Court – found that there was an “unreasonable delay” by Madikizela-Mandela to review that decision.

"We believe that this outcome respects the last wishes of uNkosi Dalibhunga and is in accordance with his last will and testament as executed by the administrators of his estate and his family led by his wife Mamu Graca Machel and the Royal House of Mandela Chieftainship under my leadership‚" Mandla Mandela said in a statement.

"We are pleased to close this chapter of this saga and trust that it finally puts this matter to rest."