Nelson Mandela’s Ex-Wife Demands His Village Home

The ex-wife of the late South African first black President and Human Rights Activist Nelson Mandela is demanding his village home for her children.

This triggers the first legal battle dispute since Mandela’s death.

BBC reports that Winnie Madikiela-Mandela‘s lawyers say she is asserting her “customary rights” by demanding the house.

Winnie and Nelson divorced in 1996. They had two daughters Zinzi and Zenani together.

Nelson Mandela has a large clan. He was married to Graca Machel at the time of his death, has a son with his late first wife Evelyn Mase, plus grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Nelson Mandela & Winnie

In his will, Mandela who has an estate valued at $4.3million, said the property Winnie is requesting for, “should be used by my family in perpetuity in order to preserve the unity of the Mandela family.”

According to a letter, Winnie purchased the home in Qunu while Mandela was in jail.

“It is only in this home that the children and grandchildren of Mrs Madikizela-Mandela can conduct their own customs and tradition and the house cannot be given to the sole custody of an individual nor can it be generally given to the custody of any person other than the children of Mrs Madikizela-Mandela and/or her grandchildren,” read part of the statement.

The letter states that it doesn’t mean that Mandela’s other children would be denied access but Winnie wants control over it.

The executor of the will is yet to comment on the issue.