Mandela jailed for five years

WINNIE MANDELA’S life and reputation was in tatters yesterday after she was jailed for five years for fraud and theft.

The former wife of South African hero Nelson Mandela left the Pretoria court on bail pending an appeal after being told by the magistrate that she was “no Robin Hood”.

The 66-year-old, known as the Mother of the Nation to her many supporters in South Africa, remained defiant and brandished a clenched fist.

She said she had resigned as an MP and also her positions as a member of the executive committee of the African National Congress and the head of the ANC Women’s League.

She said she had made a personal decision to resign but would confer with the leadership of the ANC.

“I will remain a dedicated, committed and loyal member of the ANC.

“I intend to spend my time henceforth to do the work that I started in my early life and to bind my destiny with everyone with whom I share the ideals of a just South Africa.”

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was jailed for five years with one suspended. But Pretoria magistrate Peet Johnson said she could be released on parole after eight months and required to perform community service for the remainder of her term.

Her co-defendant Addy Moolman who was also found guilty of fraud and theft and was jailed for seven years, with two years suspended.

Pending possible appeal, the magistrate released both on bail. Their lawyers said yesterday that they pair will appeal against the convictions.

Both were found guilty of fraud and theft charges stemming from allegations that they set up a phoney funeral insurance scheme and then pilfered money from participants’ accounts.

“The message has to be sent out that this type of behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated, no matter who the transgressor,” the magistrate said.

Dressed in a beaded headband, white flowered kaftan and traditional bead necklace, Madikizela-Mandela showed no reaction as the sentence was passed.

Johnson said Madikizela-Mandela was no “modern-day Robin Hood”, that she appeared to have arranged the fraud to help friends and associates.

He said he recognised her role in South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle but that was not enough to get her off. “Only a fool would underplay the important role you played in our history,” he said. “Somewhere it seems that something went wrong ... You should set the example for all of us.”

Madikizela-Mandela had pleaded innocent to 60 charges of fraud and 25 of theft involving £75,000 at the ANC Women’s League, which she led.

The prosecution said letters on organisation stationery that bore Madikizela-Mandela’s signature were used to fraudulently obtain bank loans in the name of bogus employees, including her daughter, Zinzi.

The theft charges relate to money deducted from the bank accounts of loan applicants for a funeral policy that the prosecution says did not exist.

Madikizela-Mandela was convicted in 1991 for kidnapping and assault.

However, her six-year jail sentence was later reduced on appeal to a fine.