Winnie Mandela sued by the government

Date: 14 Aug 1998
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

Lawyers representing the government announced on 14 August 1998 that they were suing Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the ex-wife of former president, Nelson Mandela, for more than two million rands, the equivalent value of government property she had allegedly misused or failed to return after being dismissed as Deputy Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology in 1995. Former President Nelson Mandela dismissed her eventually after the allegations of financial mismanagement and her improper conduct in the public. Following this she was forced to apologise. In addition the lawyers stated that the amount included the unauthorised use of, and damage to, a state-owned car. This also included the expenses incurred during unauthorised visits to Ghana with her bodyguards.

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How we know this

01Source Rosenberger W and Tobin H.C. (eds) (1988). Keesing's Records of World Events London: Longman, p. 42428.
02The New York Times, (1995), 'World News Briefs;Winnie Mandela Sues To Get Her Job Back', from The New York Times, 12 April [online], Available at www.nytimes.com [Accessed: 22 August 2013]
03Bryson Donna (1995), 'Letter: Winnie Mandela To Sue Over Firing', from Associated Press News Archive, 04 April [onilne], Available at www.apnewsarchive.com [Accessed: 22 August 2013]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Winnie Mandela sued by the government. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013383

South African History Online (2011) 'Winnie Mandela sued by the government', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013383 (Accessed: 17 August 2026).

South African History Online, Winnie Mandela sued by the government [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013383, (accessed 17 August 2026).

"Winnie Mandela sued by the government." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013383. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "Winnie Mandela sued by the government." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013383.