MARIKE DE KLERK won’t be lunching with President Nelson=20 Mandela on Friday — she wasn’t invited. Tienie Vorster=20 and Elize Botha will be there, alongside Adelaide Tambo=20 and Albertina Sisulu, at a lunch hosted by the=20 President for the wives of former South African prime=20 ministers, presidents and liberation movement leaders.=20
Amina Cachalia, who was asked by Mandela to organise=20 the lunch at the President’s Pretoria residence, said=20 she thought De Klerk had been excluded from the list=20 because her husband is still deputy president. Mrs de=20 Klerk’s secretary Rika Lottering expressed surprise=20 when told about the lunch.
Zanele Mbeki, wife of Deputy President Thabo Mbeki, was=20 also not invited. Neither was Epainette Mbeki, wife of=20 former ANC chairman and Rivonia trialist Govan Mbeki.
Twenty-two women were invited to the lunch, and 17 will=20 be attending. Among those who had to decline the=20 invitation is Betsie Verwoerd, who was advised by her=20 doctor not to attend.