Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has launched an astonishing attack on Nelson Mandela, accusing the former president of failing black people.
In an interview published in a UK newspaper, she also called Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu a “cretin”.
Her comments follow her surprise absence from the 20th anniversary celebration of Mandela’s release from prison on February 11.
In yesterday’s unprovoked attack, she described the international icon as a betrayer who had turned soft and let down the black people of South Africa.
She alleged that Mandela had become a “corporate foundation” who was “wheeled out” by the ANC globally to collect money.
She and Mandela married in 1958, but divorced in 1996.
Madikizela-Mandela, 73, who holds the first position on the ANC’s national executive committee, was interviewed by Nadira Naipaul, the wife of novelist VS Naipaul, for the London Evening Standard.
Her comments have been met with dismay by an ANC spokesman who told the Cape Argus that the party was distancing itself from the attack.
In the interview, Madikizela-Mandela was quoted as saying: “This name ‘Mandela’ is an albatross around the necks of my family.
“You all must realise that Mandela was not the only man who suffered. There were many others, hundreds who languished in prison and died.
“Mandela did go to prison and he went in there as a young revolutionary but look what came out.
“Mandela let us down. He agreed to a bad deal for the blacks. Economically we are still on the outside. The economy is very much ‘white’.
“I cannot forgive him for going to receive the Nobel (peace prize) with his jailer, (FW) De Klerk. Hand in hand they went. Do you think De Klerk released him from the goodness of his heart? He had to. The times dictated it, the world had changed.”
Dave Steward, head of the FW de Klerk Foundation, immediately laughed off the slur.
“If Winnie Mandela is criticising FW de Klerk at the same time as Mr Mandela, then Mr De Klerk would feel that he’s in good company and on the right side of the equation.”
Madikizela-Mandela also spoke of her own struggle against apartheid, and admitted to having been scared.
“Yes, I was afraid in the beginning. But then there is only so much they can do to you. After that it is only death. They can only kill you and, as you see, I am still here.”
In addition, Madikizela-Mandela laid into the Truth and Reconciliation Committee, chaired by Tutu, before which she appeared in 1997 and which implicated her in gross violations of human rights.
She said: “What good does the truth do? How does it help anyone to know where and how their loved ones are killed or buried?
“That Bishop Tutu who turned it all into a religious circus came here (Soweto). He had a cheek to tell me to appear. I told him that he and his other like-minded cretins were only sitting there because of our struggle and me.”
A spokesperson from Tutu’s Milnerton office said hat the Archbishop was in Washington DC and would respond, if he chose to, tomorrow.
In the interview, Madikizela-Mandela also claimed that the ANC was exploiting her ex-husband.
“Look what they make him do. The great Mandela. He has no control or say any more.
“They put that huge statue of him right in the middle of the most affluent white area of Johannesburg. Not here (in Soweto) where we spilled our blood.
“Mandela is now like a corporate foundation. He is wheeled out globally to collect the money.”
In response to the article, the ANC said it would ask Madikizela-Mandela to explain her attack on the former president.
ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu said that when the NEC met next week, they would ask Madikizela-Mandela whether she had indeed said Mandela had done nothing for the poor and had betrayed the black nation.
“We have to be fair, so we would want to hear from her whether she has been correctly quoted.
“It sounds very much out of character, but we will want to know in what capacity she was speaking because this sounds like a very drastic attack on the former president,” he said.
An aide who answered her phone this morning said she was not available to speak.
A spokesman for the Nelson Mandela Foundation had not returned calls at the time of going to press.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201003100071.html
Winnie Madikezela is a convicted murderer and a thief.
She is neither a spokesperson for anyone in RSA and nor is she a prominent member of anything. Even the corrupt and incompetent Zuma administration distances itself from her.
One of the first things Nelson Mandela did after his release from prison was to divorce Winnie and started uniting South Africa. From her comments it seems that she is suggesting that so-called liberation veterans now expect financial reward for running around in the bush during the 70s and 80s, while the rest of us true South Africans were building this once great economy.
I therefore urge readers to ignore her comments as Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu are heroes and symbols of African leadership, just like General Jan Smuts.
Winnie speak on behalf of us, the south african natives, we supported her during the struggle and we’re still supporting her. I now respect her even more for saying these things, this democracy we were promised was a big lie, where the majority are still living in poverty and we are made to look like a rainbow nation to the world, while the economy and 80% of the land still belongs to a tiny white minority (excluding white wanna-be minorities like yourself). This so called great economy you are talking about is still benefiting the white people of south africa. I therefore urge readers to ignore YOUR silly comments above, BECAUSE U SOUND LIKE A BEATEN DOWN SLAVE WHO HAS TAKEN THE IDENTITY OF YOUR OPPRESSOR.
When did Indians slaves start being true South Africans? Winnie is right for criticizing Mandela, a sell out who thought South Africa belonged to him. If you Indian slaves are not satified with the way our current Black leaders are ruling our country then you should approach the British who brought you to get you flight tikects. Go to your shithole India to see how your brothers are living there. Our aiports open 24 hours doing business. We won’t miss you. Our country does not belong to Indian ex-slaves and white settlers. Here is the way to India Kalashkoid >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
@ Kremetian.
Go ask the congoloid idiots in Uganda and Zim who decided to go it alone without the help of their Indo-European masters.
BTW….those airports u speak of….they will not exist or function once the Indo-European leaves. The next time u walk in Sandton, kiss the hand and thank the Indo-Europeans that pas u.
Congoloid moron!
Kalacha the Indian black-arse racist donkey really loves Mandela. Well wonders will never end…
So touching…
Jahdey the so-called Rasta, spewing racist rhetoric again.
If u r following political developments in the Republic, u might be happy to learn that your Congoloid bretheren (Zuma et al) and sisters like Winnie are dragging RSA (Africas only hope) down the path recently blazed by failures such as Zimbabwe, Kenya and well…the rest of Africa.
Khalsa, are you saying that Azania & Zimbabwe were better managed under apartheid (Azania) & wen 80% arable land was owned by 4% population (Zim)?
I am in awe of Mandela as an icon of Black freedom struggle.
Every Afrikan knows he was one among many who we will never know.
Winnie’s assertions (if factual) may be a wee bit personal, but the essence of what she said about Mandela being used is true. Period.
This in no way reduces Mandela’s greatness in my mind.
Imagine the number of hypocrites who have posed around next to Mandela, acting like they really admire his stand on things whereas we know what they did or did not do during Apartheid’s waste of Afrikans!
Of course Madiba is aware of this game.
But where is the balance?
Winnie is a lioness and lets face it, she is one amazing (but fallible, like any of us) Afrikan woman.
The fact is the deal made for ANC to take over from the white devils was flawed-and deliberately so:
Political power given to Afrikans but economic power (land/mines/financial system/industrial & manufacturing) remained a white domain. Still does-never mind the Black Empowerment Programmes.
Because of capacity constraints as legacy of apartheid/inadequate education for Afrikans)
Example, the idea of willing buyer willing seller (when it comes to land) with financing provided by the state’s Land Bank in Azania has slowed down the Afrikanization (Black people getting back the land grabbed from them in history) of South Africa’s agricutltural sector.
These white farmers are not in a hurry to leave (who wants to leave paradise?)So this softly-softly approach (formulated before the take-over to foster “stability of the Rand etc” )policy will have to change.
OR THE PEOPLE WILL JUST MOVE IN.
Like they did in Zimbabwe-they were ahead of Mugabe who was still trying to negotiate sense with perfidious albion (inglan.) check out the facts Khalsa.
Black rule was inevitable or Total destruction would ensure. So now, we have this messy situation and it was not caused by Zuma, Mandela etc
Nobel prize to this guy de klerk was a joke. But this is what to expect from racist goons who run the show.
Comming to Zim, everybody knows that Britain renegeded on its “promise” to finance the buy back of white owned plantations in Zimbabwe to enable the real owners of the land to get back to living.
Such is the moral system-dressed in legal rhetoric of the white colonialist/racist/supremacist hypocrite.
Any corruption (and I admit there is) in these two countries by Afrikans is does not erase the responsibility of ingland & all its backers (including the media whom you believe in without thought/research) for these filthy white-racist ironies I have highlighted for you.
So get some balance & coherence in your views of Afrika before you rattle off
Nelson Mandela indeed SOLD the Black S. Africans out.It’s was a slap in my face when after all the slaughter commited by the racist government of De Klerk. To add a kick in the buttocks, this “monster” is awarded a peace prize. Then there after Mandela share a peace prize as well as his new government. Whites NEVER share anything as long as they are in power….NEVER! It’s when they fall or about to fall they want to share or talk peace.IT’S THE SAME HERE IN AMERICA…Blacks own NOTHING anymore and the masses are still in poverty. The S.African people are just as bad off as before and it’s whites calling the shots.YESS, Ms Mandela is RIGHT….they should have been sent packing or driven into the sea after all the blood shed , murder and carnage done to my African family.De Klerk should have been put in prison for crimes against humanity. There is no way a sane man would compramise with an enemy that murdered tens of thousands of his people and took 25 years of his life away ……and I thought “uncle Toms were just in the USA..hen are we going to stop compromising with white people..come on let’s tell the TRUTH!.THEY NEVER COMPROMISE…they just take what they want . I was sooo disappointed when Mr. Mandela decided to share government with De Klerk…If that was the case, why did’t De Klerk save a lot of bloodshed and compromise from the begining?…Well they have to be in charge and on top of everyone else. IT TOOK CUBA TO HELP LIBERATE THE REGION…..Thanks a lot Mr. Mandela, now the black S, Africans can join the exploited , brainwashed, Euro-mentality of their black American family……look what intergration got US…….NOTHING! Nelson , enjoy your “Hollywood status because guess what…..your a great actor.
Yaacob Uriyah……….u r a low-class idiot.
Kalacha
You are a spineless, spit licking bitch, messed up by pink-male lovers!
Jahdey
Congoloids own all of DRC, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, West Africa, Central Africa and East Africa…..and the blacks in these countries are still in poverty.
Owning land wont alleviate your poverty…..u have to know what to do with the land……idiots!
Jahdey….how about some intelligent replies to prove me wrong?
Kalacha
Rich and poor exist in all the continents. In Congo, in India, in Somalia, even in America and Canada. The Koran says Allah made the rich and poor. There is no moral judgement in one’s economic conditions. For example take a look at daily struggle of life in India (a sub-continent I know you consider richer than Congo):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/8582491.stm
Jahdey
Well, Jahdey, we finally agree on something. The laws of economics dont respect race, religion, colour or creed.
A person is only defined as wealthy compared to someone who is not.
To all those so-called South Africans who want to nationalise land and go the Zimbabwe route….. hope u now know better.