Nelson Mandela accused of land fraud

ANC stalwart Winnie Madikizela-Mandela claims her former husband Nelson Mandela may have committed land fraud when he registered a plot of land in Qunu, Eastern Cape, in his own name, the City Press reported on Sunday.

She is challenging the State Land Disposal Act, which the former president allegedly used to acquire the property.

Madikizela-Mandela claims that abaThembu king Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo gave her the land when Mandela was imprisoned and that it is rightfully hers.

"The president cannot use the Act relied upon for his own personal benefit, and to allow that would be contrary to the provisions of the Act and the provisions of the Constitution for the Republic of South Africa," she said in court papers.

"The deed of grant was irregularly obtained, and obviously there was misrepresentation or fraud since the property was obtained by me and not Mr Mandela."

On Tuesday last week, Madikizela-Mandela's attorney Mvuzo Notyesi told Sapa she filed papers in the Eastern Cape High Court in Mthatha challenging Mandela's estate, seeking the rights to his Qunu home.

Madikizela-Mandela, 78, who was Mandela's second wife for 38 years, was left out of his will, it emerged following his death in December last year.

She says the registration of the house under Madiba's name was unlawful and should be set aside.