S Africa's president brushes off Winnie Mandela's kiss

South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki pushed Winnie Madikizela-Mandela aside and brushed off her kiss while facing thousands of…

South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki pushed Winnie Madikizela-Mandela aside and brushed off her kiss while facing thousands of young people commemorating a student uprising 25 years ago today.

Ms Madikizela-Mandela's motorcade swooped into the Soweto stadium where the rally was under way, interrupting a speech by a youth leader.

The crowd cheered the popular ex-wife of former president Nelson Mandela as she strode onto the dignitaries' platform and headed for Mr Mbeki. But as she stooped to kiss him he turned his face away and flicked his hand at her, knocking off her hat.

He spoke to her angrily before she walked away to take a seat. Asked afterwards about the incident, she replied: "Ask him".

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Ms Madikizela-Mandela was hailed by black South Africans as the Mother of the Nation during apartheid and is still immensely popular despite her 1991 conviction for kidnapping and her removal from Mr Mandela's government in 1995.