Winnie Mandela Forced Auction Cancelled

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has been attacked by two white-dominated racist political parties in South Africa because she is listed by the African National Congress as a candidate in the upcoming elections on April 22, 2009., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Winnie Mandela forced auction cancelled

Wednesday, 22 May 2013 00:00

SOWETO — South African sheriffs cancelled a forced sale of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s possessions to pay off her debts on Tuesday because they were unable to gain access to her house.

Officials arrived at the upmarket Soweto home of Nelson Mandela’s ex-wife and knocked repeatedly but nobody opened the tall metal gate. She still owes US$2 800 in legal fees after settling a debt to Abbotts College, a lawyer for the private school told SAPA news agency.

The school went to court earlier over unpaid school fees for a relative of Madikizela-Mandela. A dining table set, 50 paintings, sculptures and a “room with books” were listed in the sale to pay the debt.

A large media contingent waited outside the walled compound when a black luxury car sped off from a side entrance.

It was unclear if Madikizela-Mandela was inside. Tour buses driving past the house of one of Soweto’s most famous residents slowed down as tourists snapped pictures of the commotion.

It was unclear if the auction will take place at a later date. Nelson Mandela married Winnie five years before he was jailed for sabotage during his opposition to apartheid in 1963.

The pair separated shortly before he became the country’s first black president after the end of minority rule in 1994.

Mandela married Graca Machel, widow of Mozambican president Samora Machel, in 1998.

Controversy has followed Madikizela-Mandela closely in recent years.

In another development, Sapa reported Monday that Nelson Mandela’s daughters are suing him for the rights to his artworks and control of his millions.

According to The Star newspaper, Zenani and Makaziwe Mandela intend fighting an April 2004 Johannesburg High Court order which gave Mandela the right to instruct Ismail Ayob, his then lawyer, to stop managing his financial, personal and legal affairs.

The court order barred Ayob from selling any of Mandela’s artworks.

The Star reported that Mandela’s current lawyer, Bally Chuene, filed an affidavit last week in response to a lawsuit brought by the sisters, who are represented by Ayob.

Last month the sisters filed papers asking for Chuene, George Bizos SC and Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale to remove themselves as directors and trustees of the

Mandela Trust and as directors of Harmonieux and Magnifique (Pty) Ltd with immediate effect.

In his replying affidavit, Chuene reportedly said he, Bizos and Sexwale had, in 2011, refused to release the trust’s money to the daughters without a legal justification.

The Star reported that Chuene was adamant Ayob was behind the women’s court action.

— AFP/Sapa.