Mandela’s widow badly treated, says memoir
Print Edition
NELSON Mandela’s widow was treated badly by members of his family as the peace icon was fighting for his life in hospital, excerpts from a memoir by his long-time aide have revealed.
In a book likely to ruffle some feathers within the large Mandela family, Zelda la Grange, Mandela’s personal assistant for 19 years, tells of shabby treatment suffered by Graca Machel, even in the aftermath of her husband’s death.
La Grange’s book “Good Morning, Mr Mandela” will be launched on Thursday.
Excerpts published by Sunday Times newspaper reveal that Machel was once called “Ms Frantic” by Mandela’s eldest daughter Makaziwe, after media reports that she had been in a frenzy when an ambulance driving Mandela to hospital broke down on a motorway on a cold evening in June 2013.
La Grange also recalled family squabbles over control of the revered statesman during his final days, sidelining Machel.
She says there were debates in the Mandela family about his funeral for years before he died in December at the age of 95.
Machel had refused to be party to such arrangements.
“I don’t know of any person alive who has been treated with the amount of disrespect that people have shown to Mrs Machel,” writes La Grange.
She also says Machel, like anybody else, was forced to get accreditation to attend Mandela’s funeral on December 15.
Makaziwe told the newspaper La Grange would have to prove any reference she made about the family in the book “otherwise she will be sued.”
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