Winnie’s court bid for Qunu moves forward

WINNIE Madikizela-Mandela’s bid to claim her late ex-husband Nelson Mandela’s Qunu property is to be heard in court.

The decision comes after months of affidavits filed by Madikizela-Mandela and respondents to the court application.

Madikizela-Mandela claims the Qunu property is hers as she acquired the land while Mandela was still in prison. The claim is supported by various members of the community and King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo. The property is currently being looked after by the Nelson Rholihlahla Mandela Family Trust, run by executors of his will.

Yesterday the motion court officially made an order pertaining to the processes to be followed by Madikizelaand the respondents – the presidency, the department of land affairs and the executors.

The order was made by consent of all the parties involved.

While the actual date of the hearing is still to be decided, the order states the respondents may file answering papers before August 28 to points raised by Madikizela-Mandela in her replying affidavit.

She may reply to these by September 15 and her heads of argument must be filed by September 28. The respondents have until October 12 to file their heads of argument.

The legal representatives

of

the two parties are to meet next week.

It is expected they will discuss, among other issues, whether the matter should be presided over by a full bench. Madikizela-Mandela’s lawyer, Mvuzo Notyesi, said: “This means that there is a clear direction that the matter will be heard this year.

“It will bring relief to the applicant and all the parties involved.” —