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Journalism of Courage
JOHANNESBURG, JAN 7: Nelson Mandela’s former wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela is trying to patch up her relationship with South African President Thabo Mbeki, while charging that he had "grievously maligned" her, the Sunday Times reports.
The newspaper, in its edition to be published today says that Madikizela-Mandela, the President of the Women’s League of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), wrote a "sensational" letter last May to deputy President Jacob Zuma.
The newspaper says it has a copy of the letter, and that its authenticity was confirmed by Madikizela-Mandela and by Zuma’s office.
Madikizela-Mandela, a member of Parliament, but who was rarely seen in the house last year, complained in the letter that Mbeki had lambasted her at a meeting of senior anc officials, accusing her of spreading malicious rumours about his personal life, the newspaper reported.
The newspaper said it had decided not to repeat those rumours because there was no evidence that it would be in the public interest to do so.
The Sapa news agency reported that it understood that national police commissioner Jackie Selebi approached the newspaper in a personal capacity to express concern about the possible damage publication of the letter might cause to the President.
The Sunday Times said madikizela-mandela’s letter charged that ambitious backstabbers were misleading mbeki by spreading disparaging rumours about her and that the ANC’s leaders were systematically persecuting her.
