Winnie 'fan' in dock drama

2003-04-22 14:56

Pretoria - A young woman who approached Winnie Madikizela-Mandela in the dock in Pretoria regional court and was removed by bodyguards on Tuesday, said she supported the African National Congress Women's League president.

"Winnie doesn't deserve to be here," said the woman, who identified herself as Lynnette Mvutisi Mahlangu.

Madikizela-Mandela and broker Addy Moolman are standing trial on 60 fraud and 25 fraud charges in a courtroom on the fourth floor of the building.

The ANCWL president's counsel, Ishmael Semenya, was busy with legal argument when Mahlangu walked from the back of the public gallery to the dock.

She opened a door leading to an area prohibited to the public and entered the dock, climbing over Moolman to get to Madikizela-Mandela.

All the while she was clutching a box which later turned out to contain homoeopathic medicine for acute tonsilitis.

When he saw what was happening, magistrate Peet Johnson immediately adjourned the court and left with his two assessors.

Mahlangu said aloud: "The law in South Africa is in paper."

One of Madikizela-Mandela's bodyguards jumped into the dock and sat down, shielding her from Mahlangu.

Said sister was a prosecutor

When Mahlangu refused to back out, she was pulled out by the arm.

When she still resisted leaving, a guard put his arms around her to take her away. She said: "This is sexual harassment."

Mahlangu was taken outside. At one stage, a bodyguard picked her up like a child and took her down in the lift.

Outside, she protested that Madikizela-Mandela was innocent.

She went back into the foyer of the building again, and sat there crying, rubbing her hands over her body. Several people tried to reason with her.

She said she was looking for her sister, Mali, who was a senior prosecutor. Mahlangu said she was stressed and only her sister knew how to deal with that.

Extra security laid on

Asked where she lived, she said: "My sister knows where I live."

Later, she told reporters Madikizela-Mandela was not guilty and should not be in the dock.

"That's all I'm going to say."

A woman eventually emerged, saying: "This is enough."

She took Mahlangu, who seemed to recognise her, by the arm and drove off with her in a red car.

The court was expected to adjourn after lunch with extra security measures, including the presence of public-order police.

- SAPA