Winnie Mandela demands for late husband’s village home

Winnie Madikiela-Mandela, ex-wife of the late South African first black President and Human Rights Activist, Nelson Mandela, is demanding his village home for her children.
This triggers the first legal battle dispute since Mandela’s death.
According to BBC reports monitored on Tuesday in Abuja, Winnie‘s lawyers said she is asserting her “customary rights” by demanding for the house.
Winnie and Nelson divorced in 1996.
They had two daughters – Zinzi and Zenani – together.
Nelson Mandela has a large clan.
He was married to Graca Machel at the time of his death, has a son with his late first wife, Evelyn Mase, including grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Mandela, who had an estate valued at $4.3 million, stated in his will that the property Winnie is requesting for “should be used by my family in perpetuity in order to preserve the unity of the Mandela family”.
According to a letter, Winnie purchased the home in Qunu while Mandela was in jail.
The statement said in part: “It is only in this home that the children and grandchildren of Mrs Madikizela-Mandela can conduct their own customs and tradition.
“And the house cannot be given to the sole custody of an individual nor can it be generally given to the custody of any person other than the children of Mrs Madikizela-Mandela and/or her grandchildren.”
The letter states that it doesn’t mean that Mandela’s other children would be denied access, but Winnie wants control over it.
The executor of the will is yet to comment on the issue.