On this day in 1990‚ Nelson Mandela was released unconditionally from prison after 27 years. Today‚ February 11 2016‚ his political successor and grandson Mandla Mandela‚ a member of parliament‚ was booed as he arrived at the State of the Nation Address.
He was jeered as a traitor and sell-out.
Earlier this week‚ the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South African (Contralesa) said Mandela should step down from his position as Mvezo chief following his weekend wedding to a Muslim woman and his apparent conversion to Islam. “It means now he is no longer a chief of AbaThembu in Mvezo (because)… the Mvezo people are not Muslim‚” Contralesa said in a statement.
Mandela arrived at the SONA not with his new bride Rabia but with his third “wife”‚ Swazi princess‚ Nodiyala Mbali Makhathini. Their wedding was annulled in court following an application from his estranged first wife. However‚ they are believed to have been living together in Mvezo and the MP also brought her as his partner to last year’s SONA when they were in monochrome black and white outfits. This year‚ they are wearing matching orange and black attire.
Meanwhile‚ expectations are hanging heavily in the air ahead of this SONA.
President Jacob Zuma finds himself between a rock and a hard place. The rock is the parlous state of the South African economy and the hard place is the parlous state of his political support following events at the Constitutional Court this week. The court was the scene of one of the great political reversals of modern times when Zuma’s advocate conceded that he would‚ after all‚ pay back the Nkandla money.
Public Protector Thuli Madonsela was an early star on the red carpet‚ winning universal praise on social media for her glowing appearance in a flowing yellow gown. She was gracious about her victory over Zuma in the ‘pay back the money’ scandal‚ saying: “There has never been bad blood. There have been disagreements about the constitution“.
But the economy is casting a large shadow and there are concerns whether Zuma can pull an economic rabbit out the hat. He met with CEOs and was apparently advised on what he should say to stave off another ratings agency downgrade.
Mandela grandson booed on anniversary of day he walked to freedom
He was jeered as a traitor and sell-out.
Earlier this week‚ the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South African (Contralesa) said Mandela should step down from his position as Mvezo chief following his weekend wedding to a Muslim woman and his apparent conversion to Islam. “It means now he is no longer a chief of AbaThembu in Mvezo (because)… the Mvezo people are not Muslim‚” Contralesa said in a statement.
Mandela arrived at the SONA not with his new bride Rabia but with his third “wife”‚ Swazi princess‚ Nodiyala Mbali Makhathini. Their wedding was annulled in court following an application from his estranged first wife. However‚ they are believed to have been living together in Mvezo and the MP also brought her as his partner to last year’s SONA when they were in monochrome black and white outfits. This year‚ they are wearing matching orange and black attire.
Meanwhile‚ expectations are hanging heavily in the air ahead of this SONA.
President Jacob Zuma finds himself between a rock and a hard place. The rock is the parlous state of the South African economy and the hard place is the parlous state of his political support following events at the Constitutional Court this week. The court was the scene of one of the great political reversals of modern times when Zuma’s advocate conceded that he would‚ after all‚ pay back the Nkandla money.
Public Protector Thuli Madonsela was an early star on the red carpet‚ winning universal praise on social media for her glowing appearance in a flowing yellow gown. She was gracious about her victory over Zuma in the ‘pay back the money’ scandal‚ saying: “There has never been bad blood. There have been disagreements about the constitution“.
But the economy is casting a large shadow and there are concerns whether Zuma can pull an economic rabbit out the hat. He met with CEOs and was apparently advised on what he should say to stave off another ratings agency downgrade.
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