Winnie contests divorce from Madiba

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. File photo: Motshwari Mofokeng

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. File photo: Motshwari Mofokeng

Published Oct 15, 2014

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Johannesburg - ANC stalwart Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has claimed in papers filed in the High Court in Mthatha that her divorce from former president Nelson Mandela was fraudulently obtained, the Daily Dispatch reported on Wednesday.

She claimed her marriage certificate was also a fraud and sought to have the divorce order rescinded.

“The certificate is clearly a fraudulent document and is quite obvious that [during] the divorce hearing the court was misled and the divorce order was obtained through fraud or misrepresentation,” she submitted in her affidavit, according to the newspaper.

She claimed she was not in the country when the divorce was finalised, and only saw the divorce order for the first time in August this year.

She pointed out inaccuracies in the marriage certificate, which the newspaper had seen a copy of. The certificate was issued by the then Republic of Transkei for the marriage in June 1958.

Madikizela-Mandela said the Transkei Republic did not exist in 1958 as “independence” was only granted in 1976. The signatures on the certificate did not belong to her or Mandela, she alleged.

“Our marriage officer was Reverend Gamndana and not GGK Madikiza,” as stated on the certificate.

The certificate stated they were married in Bizana, and that community of property was excluded.

Madikizela-Mandela contended that the court never ordered the forfeiture of the Qunu property as they never engaged in any settlement negotiations on their properties.

In her application, Madikizela-Mandela challenged Mandela's estate, seeking the rights to his home in Qunu, Eastern Cape.

The 78-year-old, who was Mandela's second wife for 38 years, was left out of Mandela's will.

Mandela died in December last year. - Sapa

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