Johannesburg - Despite widespread speculation on the nature of the criminal charges laid by Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and his wife Leah against their granddaughter Ziyanda, both sides in the family conflict have on Friday remained mum on the matter.
Through his foundation, Tutu released a statement confirming that the charges had been laid.
“In response to inquiries regarding statements posted on social media by our granddaughter, Ziyanda Palesa Tutu, we confirm that a criminal charge has been laid and that police are conducting an investigation,” read the statement.
But his family spokesman, Roger Friedman, would not disclose the nature of the charges – except to say that the Archbishop was “distressed and deeply saddened” about the family fallout.
“The Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation hopes and prays that the family will soon be able to put this incident behind it.”
Ziyanda brought the tiff to light on Tuesday when she vaguely tweeted: “We are waging war. Truths will be revealed.”
On the same day, she tweeted again: “I am regrouping but @TheDesmond Tutu & granny Leah, I will be handing myself in on Friday. #TututrialbyMedia.”
In yet another post, Ziyanda said on Thursday that the squabble with her paternal grandparents had left her distraught.
“Bn receiving requests 4 interviews regarding this @TheDesmondTutu Leah Tutu thing. I’m 2emotional right now bt will talk when I’m ready.”
In an interview with The Star on Friday morning, Ziyanda, who describes herself as a qualified wine judge and winemaker on Twitter, again refused to reveal the details of the charges laid against her.
But she painted a picture of a family willing to use their fame, money and power against her.
“For years there has been animosity against me and now my grandparents have blown this matter out of proportion,” she said.
“This whole thing could have been avoided and kept out of the public.”
She now claims she “has nothing” and is not even able to afford a lawyer.
While unwilling to reveal the charges, Ziyanda, who describes herself on Twitter as “Desmond Tutu’s first grandchild; qualified wine judge; BSc wine-making graduate and writer from Joburg city. Controversial political & religious views!”, denied they were related to her social media post when asked by The Star or that they were related to theft.
She also denied having been in rehab for alcohol abuse.
When asked if she would hand herself in to the police on Friday, as she announced on Twitter, she told The Star she didn’t mean specifically “this Friday”.
“It could mean any Friday. I am still trying to sort things out before I go to the police.”
Ziyanda placed the blame for the family squabble mostly on her grandmother, who she claims laid the charges against her.
She said she had not spoken to her grandmother since then and had not spoken to her grandfather since last year.
According to Ziyanda, her father Trevor (the archbishop’s only son) has been left “upset” at the dispute.
Ziyanda said her mother and brother had been supportive.
Trevor was also in the glare of the media spotlight in 2011 after he was unable to foot a maintenance bill for the upkeep of an 11-year-old child.
It was reported that a maintenance court had ordered him to pay R5 544 a month in child support, for the son he shared with a Zimbabwean woman now living in Canada.
At the time, Trevor denied paternity of the child and said he could not afford to pay as he was unemployed. But the magistrate said if he did not have the money, the archbishop and his wife would have to pay.
The most “famous” incident was in 1989 when he falsely claimed a bomb threat after boarding an SAA plane at the East London Airport.
The Star