The marital behaviour and land activities of Mandla Mandela may be sullying a hero's name, writes BILL CORCORAN, in Cape Town
REPORTS THIS week that the African National Congress has called for a meeting with Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Mandla, to discuss his troublesome personal life came as little surprise given the former South African president’s importance to the party.
Senior ANC officials recognise the public relations value the movement derives at home and abroad from the Mandela name and legacy, especially as a counterweight to the negative publicity from the growing number of ruling party members being accused of corruption, incompetence and nepotism.
According to a number of media reports since Monday, ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe will lead the high-profile delegation to Mandla Mandela’s Eastern Cape homelands, where ways to prevent the name of the holder of the Nobel Peace Prize from being further sullied will be discussed with family elders.
“We are treating all matters very seriously. It is our concern that this meeting must happen as soon as possible,” ANC provincial spokesperson Mlibo Qoboshiyane said.
Over the past few years, the 37-year-old Mandla Mandela, who is an Mvezo chief and ANC MP, has become embroiled in a number of controversies that have embarrassed his family and dragged his grandfather’s good name through the mud.
He has been accused in court during divorce proceedings ongoing since 2009 of trying to introduce polygamy into his marriage by his first wife, Tando Mabunu, who instigated their separation.
In June 2011, the Mthatha High Court restricted Mandela from accessing his bank accounts, which were said to contain €500,000, in order to stop him from disposing of assets before his divorce has been finalised.
The same court restricted Mandela from marrying Princess Mbalenhle Makhathini in December last year, but he defied the order and married her that same month. Their marriage has subsequently been annulled by the courts after a charge of bigamy was brought against him.
Mandela has since had a child with Makhathini.
In addition, three Mvezo families have accused him of expropriating their land in the Eastern Cape to build a hotel and stadium. In October, they were granted a court order prohibiting him from proceeding with the developments.
It was reported that court documents state Mandela has allegedly taken land in Mvezo that did not belong to him on two other occasions to build on.
Mandela is opposing the order, claiming those who were making the application had no authority to take legal action on their families’ behalf, as he had written consent from the family heads to proceed with the development.
One chief expected to attend the meeting, but who did want to be named, said: “This thing with Mandla is out of hand. Nobody can dictate to him, but he is tarnishing the Mandela name with all these wives he marries and wants to marry. He feels he is a law unto [himself] and does not even want to listen to anyone.”
As it stands, it is hard to believe that just over five years ago Mandla Mandela was seen as a candidate who had the potential to follow in his famous grandfather’s political footsteps.
Born in 1974 to Makgatho Mandela, Nelson Mandela’s first son who died of Aids in 2005, he graduated from Rhodes University with a degree in politics in 2007. His father’s death opened the way for him to become the first Mandela in 70 years to head a Xhosa tribe.
Nelson Mandela renounced his right to Xhosa leadership to become a lawyer and dedicate his life to fighting apartheid. His father, Henry, had lost his chieftainship in the early 1900s after defying a summons from a local magistrate.
It was not until 2007 that Xhosa chiefs discussed electing a member of the Mandela clan to lead again and, due to Nelson Mandela’s advanced years, his grandson was afforded the honour. With his grandfather watching on proudly, he was officially installed as head of the Mvezo Traditional Council in a ceremony in the Eastern Cape that same year. Prior to the ceremony, Mandla Mandela said he looked forward to his office with “respect, pride and passion”.
He added that tribal leadership had a substantial role to play in the democratisation of South Africa and he was thankful his new role gave him the opportunity to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps. One can only wonder how his grandfather regards his progress to date.