Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, ex-wife of Nelson Mandela (Courtesy Photo)
A South African court recently dismissed a claim by Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, ex-wife of Nelson Mandela, for possession of the civil rights leader’s rural home.
The Eastern Cape High Court on April 7 dismissed Madikizela-Mandela’s 2014 claim of rightful ownership to the Qunu village home, located in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.
Madikizela-Mandela argued that the home belonged to her under customary law because it was purchased in 1989 while she and Nelson Mandela were still married, according to BBC News and other outlets.
However, in his will the former president left all assets to family members, personal staff, schools and the ruling African National Congress party, and did not include Madikizela-Mandela, despite their 38-year marriage which dissolved in 1996.
Mandela said that he wanted the Qunu homestead to “be used by my family in perpetuity in order to preserve the unity of the Mandela family.” Mandela spent much of his childhood in Qunu, and returned there regularly after his retirement. He was buried in Qunu in 2013.
In a statement, the Mandela family said they were grateful that “the saga has now come to a close and trusts that Winnie will make peace with the judgement.”
Mandela married his third wife Graca Machel, the widow of Mozambique president Samora Machel in 1998, one year before he stepped down as president in 1999.