The Royal family of the AbaThembu Kingdom has welcomed the Mthatha Court judgement handed down on Thursday on the ownership of the late former President Nelson Mandela's Qunu property.
Mandela's former wife Winnie Madikizela Mandela had attempted to seek the rights to Mandela’s home near Mthatha.
The Court dismissed the case with costs, dealing a blow to Madikizela Mandela's bid to get her hands on the Qunu estate.
Abathembu Royal family spokesperson Nkosi Daludumo Mtirara, told AlgoaFM News that Madikizela Mandela was mislead by some members of the family and that she did not receive the legal advice she required.
"We want this judgement to be used as a frame of reference for learning purpose because we are guided by custom, tradition and trends. This matter should have been addressed by the Mandela royal family, if no agreement, elevated to the royal family of the Kingdom of AbaThembu. We are aware of the tasks that is before us in aligning procedures and processes to address challenges that the sister royal houses might be facing. Even though she lost the case in court, she remains a member of the Mandela royal family by virtue of her former marriage and the Mandela children that she beared. However, she must respect our traditions and the functioning of the traditional royal structures.
The royal family would like to reaffirm that Nkosikazi Nosizwe Graca Machel remains a responsible elder of the Mandela family and Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandla Mandela remains a presiding member over all customary matters and he must be respected by all the members of the family. They must remain resilient and avoid following routes which are in transgression of our custom. We want a united Mandela family and we continue to quest for unity in the kingdom of AbaThembu and within our sister royal houses." he said
In his last will and testament, Mandela left the Qunu property to all members of the Mandela family as a place to unify them. The former President was married to Graça Machel when he died on 5 December 2013.
Madikizela-Mandela’s lawyers filed papers during 2014 and claimed that the property had been obtained while she was married to Mandela and belonged to her in terms of AbaThembu custom.
Advocate George Bizos, who is one of the executors of the former president’s will, opposed the action lodged by Madikizela-Mandela.
Madikizela-Mandela was left out of his will, which was released in February 2014 after his death.
