South African government opposes bid for Mandela home

South Africa's government has opposed a legal bid by Winnie Madikizela-Mandela to claim ownership of her ex-husband Nelson Mandela's rural home,

Mrs Madikizela-Mandela launched court action in October, saying she had "customary rights" to the rural home they once shared in Qunu village. She says Mr Mandela may have committed land fraud when he registered the property in his name, the South African Press Association (Sapa) reports. In papers filed in the Mthatha High Court last month, she said the ex-president had incorrectly used part of the State Land Disposal Act by donating the land to himself, according to the local Dispatch newspaper. Her lawyers want Mr Zuma and the Department of Rural Development to produce official records proving the property belonged to
Mr Mandela, including the validity of the title deed, local media reports say. She wants the registration of the property under Mr Mandela's name to be annulled by the court, the Dispatch reports. In response, Mr Zuma's spokesman Mac Maharaj said that the state attorney had filed a legal notice to oppose the action, pending instructions from the president. Mrs Madikizela-Mandela's lawyer Mvuzo Notyesi told the Dispatch that he was confident of their case. "That is a completely irregular notice. We are told there is a notice. They cannot file a notice to oppose before they furnish us with the required information. It is completely premature and totally irrelevant," Mr Notyesi is quoted as saying. Mr Mandela died nearly a year ago, and left his ex-wife out of his will. His estate was provisionally valued at 46 million rand ($4.3m; £2.5m). The thrice-married Mr Mandela divorced Mrs Madikizela-Mandela in 1996. The two were South Africa's most celebrated political couple until their marriage collapsed after 38 years.