Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela spoke in great detail at a media briefing yesterday, following the outcome of the feuding family’s court case over family graves.
Mandla said he would not appeal The Eastern Cape High Court’s dismissal of his application to stop the exhumations of Mandela’s three children. The case has revealed a Mandela family feud that has cast the family in the media spotlight yet again while Nelson Mandela fights for his life in a Pretoria hospital.
Mandla says he was denied the right to be heard and that he will not challenge the matter further: “It will serve no purpose,” he told reporters. During the briefing he said his grandfather would be highly disappointed in the unravelling family feud and that his family members were solely interested in his grandfather’s money.
Mandla, who said he did not want to air the family’s dirty linen went on to reveal that his brother Mbuso had impregnated his (Mandla’s) estranged wife, who gave birth to baby boy born in September.
Mandla denied that he was born out of wedlock following his brother Ndaba’s allegation. He went to reveal that his father Makgatho Mandela impregnated a married woman and his brother Ndaba was a product of that relationship . “He should be careful when insulting my mother,” warned Mandla.
Mandla says there are many people parading as Mandelas and denounced his aunt Makaziwe. Mandla said she was creating divisions and that she should concentrate on her own family.
He told reporters that when his grandfather (Nelson Mandela) had asked him and his brothers who would be interested in heading the chiefdom he was the only one who showed interest. Mandla says previously, family members had no problem with his chieftaincy, “but now individuals opportunistically question my legitimacy as chief.”
Mandla said he refused to be associated with the squabble over his grandfather’s money and said that he stood against his family when they filed court paper against George Bizos and Tokyo Sexwale.
Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela spoke in great detail at a media briefing yesterday, following the outcome of the feuding family’s court case over family graves.
He said that he would no longer address the media and he wanted to focus on eradicating poverty in Mvezo.
WE LOVE YOU TATA: Candles light up an image of Nelson Mandela as the world prays for the icon’s speedy recovery. Photo: Nokuthula Manyathi
Yesterday, Nelson Mandela spent his 24th day at the Mediclinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria following a lung infection. Crowds of people have been arriving outside the hospital to show their love for the former South African president.
For the last three weeks, the world has been unified in prayer for a South African hero whose condition is described as critical but stable.
Jana Basson, a 13 year old school girl, took time during her school holiday to pay tribute to a man she calls her role model. “I love Madiba. He is my role model and a symbol of peace,” she said. [pullquote align=”right”]He is like a dad – he shouldn’t die.[/pullquote]
Wall of Wishes
Visitors from across the world have continued to show their support by writing messages on the now famous Wall of Wishes – a wall outside the hospital that people have used to post messages and leave gifts for Mandela.
Molatudu Zinde a member of the Mamelodi SOS Village Grannies said they had come to sing for Mandela because he was an icon of the world and the father of the nation.
“Madiba is an icon of the world. He is like a dad – he shouldn’t die,” she said
Zinde said she was saddened by news that the Mandela’s were in the centre of a court case about the Mandela family gravesite. She hoped they would stop fighting and find more amicable ways to solve their differences,
“The ill health of Mandela should make them come together. They must stop fighting and just advise each other in amicable way. Once they stop fighting Mandela will heal,” said Zinde
No one is as loved as Madiba
Popular South African praise poet Mzwakhe Mbuli also arrived in Pretoria yesterday to show his support by performing a poem in front of the Wall of Wishes. Mbuli said Madiba was a unifier and a reconciler. “No one can be compared to Madiba. No one is as loved as Madiba,” he said. [pullquote align=”right”]This man is intelligent, a fighter, a true leader[/pullquote]
Mbuli, who was arrested in 1999 for armed robbery and possession of a hand grenade said that during his incarnation Mandela had visited him in jail and brought him some food.
Throughout the day people from all across came to the world stopped by the Wall of Wishes to show their supports. Members of the Nigerian Students Union from the University of Pretoria approached the Wall of Wishes in song.
The believer
“Mandela is an Ubuntu icon,” said Cyril Njoku the president of the union. He said Mandela was able to create peaceful co-existence between people of different races and backgrounds.
Wilson Isebor, also a member of the Nigerian student Union, said Mandela taught him to never give up and to always have faith in your dreams.
“He didn’t give up even after going to jail for very long time. He still came out and fought for what he believed,” said Isebor
A fighter, a true leader
As the sun set, candles were light by new arrivals to emulate the Wall of Wishes. Journalists camping outside the hospital for the last 24 days erected a white screen where they played videos and images of Mandela.
And slowly a small group of people starts to gather in front of the screen. “This man was intelligent, a fighter, a true leader,” says a passerby.
Watch as passers-by on the Nelson Mandela Bridge in Johannesburg react to the question: Has Mandela changed your life. Filmed in 2012 by #teamvuvu’s Lisa Golden and Simmi Areff.
On this podcast episode, current female learners and students describe what they can remember being taught about Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and how they translate that into their lived experiences as young adults. Parents also offer their understanding and perspectives on the purpose of CSE. This podcast episode is a part of the 2021 in-depth […]
