The Mpondo nation has welcomed confessions over the weekend that cleared Winnie Madikizela-Mandela from any involvement in the killing of Stompie Seipei.
Former apartheid-era security operative Paul Erasmus revealed to the media on Sunday that the Mandela United Football Club was spying on Madikizela-Mandela in the 1980s. He said the club was part of an initiative to discredit Madikizela-Mandela.
His revelation came a day after former police commissioner George Fivaz revealed that an investigation into Seipei’s murder found allegations that Madikizela-Mandela gave orders for the killing of the 14-year-old to be baseless.
Addressing the media while visiting Madikizela-Mandela’s home in Orlando West yesterday, Mpondo Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana said: “Even those who said she was a criminal, they now say she is innocent.
“We are very pleased that people have come out and cleared her. We hope this country is going to learn a lot from what Winnie has done for us as a nation.”
Nonkonyana was among fifty West Pondoland traditional leaders who visited the home of the late anti-apartheid struggle hero yesterday to pay their last respects.
Madikizela-Mandela, 81, died last week following a long illness. Born of royal blood in Mbongweni village, Bizana, she once served as a treasurer of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa.
Speaking to the Dispatch yesterday, West Pondoland spokesman Dumani Gwadiso said they last visited Madikizela-Mandela’s Orlando West home in January last year when they learnt she was not well.
“We had to come and visit once again after learning that she was no more. She is one of us. We are here to extend our condolences to the family. MamuWinnie was an icon in Pondoland. She was a soldier and a pillar of strength to all of us. We are here to say the Madikizela and Mandela families, they are not alone during this dark hour. We are here as Amakhosi from various districts including Nyandeni, Ngqeleni, Port St Johns and the entire Pondoland because she is one of our own.”
The Eastern Cape is gearing up for the official provincial memorial service, which will be held in Mbizana today.
ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule announced last week that the party wants a special memorial event in the Eastern Cape to allow residents of Mbizana to honour the late stalwart.
The Dispatch understands that the event would be attended by several senior ANC leaders including President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Nonkonyana praised Madikizela-Mandela’s role in the election of the Ramaphosa-led ANC executive committee.
Both Madikizela-Mandela and Nonkonyana formed part of the 20-member team of traditional leaders who attended the elective conference in Johannesburg last December.
Nonkonyana described the build-up to the conference as concerning.
“We were concerned about the challenges facing the organisation. She was there with us in Nasrec when there were winds of change and she actually influenced those winds of change. Even when she was sickly, she stood up,” said Nonkonyana.
Thumbs up after Winnie murder link rejected
Former apartheid-era security operative Paul Erasmus revealed to the media on Sunday that the Mandela United Football Club was spying on Madikizela-Mandela in the 1980s. He said the club was part of an initiative to discredit Madikizela-Mandela.
His revelation came a day after former police commissioner George Fivaz revealed that an investigation into Seipei’s murder found allegations that Madikizela-Mandela gave orders for the killing of the 14-year-old to be baseless.
Addressing the media while visiting Madikizela-Mandela’s home in Orlando West yesterday, Mpondo Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana said: “Even those who said she was a criminal, they now say she is innocent.
“We are very pleased that people have come out and cleared her. We hope this country is going to learn a lot from what Winnie has done for us as a nation.”
Nonkonyana was among fifty West Pondoland traditional leaders who visited the home of the late anti-apartheid struggle hero yesterday to pay their last respects.
Madikizela-Mandela, 81, died last week following a long illness. Born of royal blood in Mbongweni village, Bizana, she once served as a treasurer of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa.
Speaking to the Dispatch yesterday, West Pondoland spokesman Dumani Gwadiso said they last visited Madikizela-Mandela’s Orlando West home in January last year when they learnt she was not well.
“We had to come and visit once again after learning that she was no more. She is one of us. We are here to extend our condolences to the family. MamuWinnie was an icon in Pondoland. She was a soldier and a pillar of strength to all of us. We are here to say the Madikizela and Mandela families, they are not alone during this dark hour. We are here as Amakhosi from various districts including Nyandeni, Ngqeleni, Port St Johns and the entire Pondoland because she is one of our own.”
The Eastern Cape is gearing up for the official provincial memorial service, which will be held in Mbizana today.
ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule announced last week that the party wants a special memorial event in the Eastern Cape to allow residents of Mbizana to honour the late stalwart.
The Dispatch understands that the event would be attended by several senior ANC leaders including President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Nonkonyana praised Madikizela-Mandela’s role in the election of the Ramaphosa-led ANC executive committee.
Both Madikizela-Mandela and Nonkonyana formed part of the 20-member team of traditional leaders who attended the elective conference in Johannesburg last December.
Nonkonyana described the build-up to the conference as concerning.
“We were concerned about the challenges facing the organisation. She was there with us in Nasrec when there were winds of change and she actually influenced those winds of change. Even when she was sickly, she stood up,” said Nonkonyana.
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