/ 29 March 1999

WINNIE UPSTAGES MBEKI

WINNIE Madikizela-Mandela upstaged her former husband President Nelson Mandela and African National Congress president Thabo Mbeki at the launch of the ANC’s 1999 election campaign in Soweto on Sunday. Mbeki kick off the campaign with a promise of accelerated change before some 2000 people in the Orlando soccer stadium. But Mbeki was drowned out halfway through his speech by cheers for Madikizela-Mandela, who arrived 45 minutes late and walked slowly across the pitch separating Mbeki from the crowd. “Viva the president of the African National Congress Women’s League,” Mbeki said in terse acknowledgement of her arrival and then pressed on over the cheers for Madikizela-Mandela.