TRC gathers evidence against Winnie Madikizela-Mandela

Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) began public hearings, which focused on allegations against Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, estranged ex-wife of former president, Nelson Mandela. Despite the fact that there was a growing fear that her political career would be tarnished by testimonies against her, she continued to gain wide support within the structures of the African National Congress (ANC). She was also earmarked for the deputy president position within the organisation. The allegations against Madikizela-Mandela included thirteen counts of murder and numerous human rights abuses, which centred on the brutal killing of Stompie Seipei in 1988. The TRC heard from a series of witnesses who testified that Madikizela-Mandela and members of the infamous Mandela United Football Club had assaulted and killed a number of people who were suspected of being spies for the security branch of the South African Police (SAP). Her former driver and friend John Morgan, testified that he saw Madikizela-Mandela torturing four youths and dismissed the claim that she was not in Soweto at the time of the said incident, whereas Katiza Cebekhulu, a former member of the Football Club, who disappeared on the eve of Madikizela-Mandela's trial in 1991, repeated his allegations in his book Katiza' Journey that he saw Madikizela-Mandela stabbing Seipei. Seipei was accused of being a police spy and Madikizela-Mandela ordered the assault on him. The TRC also heard that Madikizela-Mandela ordered the murder of Dr. Abu Baker Asvat, the physician who examined Seipei before his death and whom she feared would implicate her in the killing. Cyril Mbatha, who was serving a life sentence for Asvat's death told the TRC, he was acting on Madikizela-Mandela's orders and she supplied him with the murder weapon.