Reports have surfaced that Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela is an illegitimate chief, with Mandla’s half brother Ndaba Mandela claiming Mandla is “not the rightful chief of Mvezo”.

A memeber of the Mandela family has come forward and told the Mail & Guardian that Mandla’s actions of not taking back the exhumed bodies of Mandela’s three children to their original burial ground was disrespectful.

Despite the family originally being in support of Mandla’s chieftaincy in 2007, the Mandela family can now see that Mandla volunteering for the position was a mistake. An anonymous elder confirmed that Rayne “Nolusapho” was a “township girl” that Makgatho, Mandla’s father refused to marry. Resulting in Mandla being born out of wedlock. Mandla’s illegitimacy is against Xhosa culture which states that chieftaincy cannot be claimed by illegitimate children.

The Mail & Guardian contacted Mandla Mandela for a repsonse to these allegations. Mandla said:

As usual, my family is using the wrong forum to address family matters. Ndaba must come to the family and tell us these things he knows, that we don’t.

Dr Nokuzola Mndende, director of the Icamagu Institute said:

Traditionally, if the parents are not married the child uses the surname and clan name of the mother. Even if the child is familiar with the father and his family, the child is still of the mother’s family.

According to the elder, the main point of concern now is not an issue regarding the chieftaincy but more importantly the reburial of the exhumed bodies.

They just want the graves to be exhumed and for order to be restored so that their father’s spirit may be in peace.

The elder from the Mandela family and source for the Mail & Guardian article said:

Mandla grew up in Cofimvaba with some members of the Mandela family. He was loved so dearly by his grandmother and Nelson himself. His grandmother used to say, ‘If you want to win Nelson’s heart, go through Mandla.

His mother married a white businessman and moved to Hong Kong. She then re-appeared a few years ago when she was suddenly made a wife to a deceased Makgatho and renamed Nolusapho. Who marries a married man?

Nolusapho, as old as she is and close to her son, still has no idea how to advise him to do the right thing and act like a proper chief.

[Source: Mail & Guardian]