JENNI EVANS, Johannesburg | Monday
WINNIE Madikizela-Mandela will be told to stop the reconstruction of her businesses which were demolished last month and will be assigned an inspector to help her comply with bylaws to resolve the matter, Johannesburg’s mayoral representative said on Monday.
The tavern, club and tuck shop outside her house were demolished on October 24 by a sheriff of the court for being in contravention of bylaws. Media reports over the weekend said Madikizela-Mandela had started rebuilding the premises.
Mayor Amos Masondo’s representative Kgotso Chikane said an inspector had examined the new structure and the council’s legal department had looked into the matter and concluded that it was not in contravention of the court order or in defiance of the city council. It was on a private stand on someone else’s property.
However, Madikizela-Mandela needed to comply with building control and town planning regulations — meaning she has to submit plans for the structure and apply for permission to use residential property for business purposes.
A letter would be delivered to Madikizela-Mandela on Monday afternoon requesting that she stop the reconstruction. An inspector would then be sent to help her comply with the regulations.
Chikane said such an application normally took up to two weeks but sending an inspector to Madikizela-Mandela would speed up the process.
”We don’t want confrontation, we want to help her comply,” Chikane said.
”There is an impression created that it is a witch hunt — it is purely a bylaw issue. We just want the matter to be concluded.”
Madikizela-Mandela’s representative Alan Reynolds said he had not been able to reach her for comment.
The council’s decision provides relief for Madikizela-Mandela who over the past few weeks has also appeared in court to face charges of fraud and theft.
She and her co-accused Addy Moolman were arrested on charges related to an alleged scam involving the use of her signature to fraudulently obtain bank loans.
Outlining her expenses in her bail application she sparked a furore when she revealed that much of her income stems from donations from wellwishers.
This led to the Democratic Alliance demanding that she explain why the donations had not been declared to Parliament and she has until Tuesday to explain the matter to Parliament’s ethics committee.
Madikizela-Mandela was the second wife of former president Nelson Mandela. During the struggle against apartheid and while campaigning for her husband’s release from prison, she was harassed, imprisoned, placed in solitary confinement and banished under severe restrictions to a house in Brandfort by the National Party government.
She was convicted of kidnapping for her role in the disappearance of teenage activist Stompie Seipei who was later found dead.
Madikizela-Mandela is currently the chairwoman of the African National Congress Women’s League and a Member of Parliament. – Sapa