Incomplete grave probe sent back

THE POLICE investigation into alleged grave violation by Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela is incomplete, and has been sent back to the police for further investigation, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said yesterday.

This week, the NPA said it would decide by yesterday whether to go to court with a charge of grave violation against Mandla, who allegedly illegally exhumed the remains of three of his relatives.

However, Eastern Cape NPA spokesman Luxolo Tyali told Weekend Argus yesterday the police case docket wasn’t yet ready for a prosecution.

The three deceased relatives in question are the children of Nelson Mandela, who remains critically ill in hospital.

Tyali said the police needed to do more work on the case before the NPA could make a decision.

“We discovered there are outstanding issues and aspects that need to be taken care of before we can make a decision.”

This comes after a group of Mandla’s relatives laid a graveviolation charge against Mandla at the Bityi police sta- tion on Tuesday last week.

Mandla’s relatives have accused him of illegally removing the remains of Nelson Mandela’s sons Makgatho and Thembekile, and his eldest daughter Makaziwe, who died at nine months.

He is suspected of moving the remains from Nelson Mandela’s homestead in Qunu to his own homestead, Mvezo Great Place, during 2011.

Nelson Mandela’s eldest surviving daughter, also named Makaziwe, said in an affidavit before the Eastern Cape High Court last week that Mandla moved the remains to his homestead, which upset the rest of the Mandela family.

Makaziwe said Mandla had “admitted he had secretly removed the remains in the dead of the night to bury these remains at Mvezo Great Place”.

Makaziwe’s affidavit said Nelson Mandela wished to be buried next to his three children at his homestead in Qunu.

The relatives’ remains were moved back to Nelson Mandela’s homestead in Qunu on Thursday, in accordance with a ruling by the Eastern Cape High Court in Mthatha.