Winnie gets 5 years, will quit her ANC posts

2003-04-25 12:38

Pretoria - Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, African National Congress MP and head of their women's league, has been sentenced to five years' jail, one of which is suspended, on fraud and theft charges.

She should serve eight months of her sentence in prison, after which she would have to do community service, said magistrate Peet Johnson in the regional court here. One year of the sentence was suspended for five years.

Her co-accused, broker Addy Moolman, was sentenced to seven years in prison, of which two years; were suspended for five years.

Madikizela-Mandela was convicted on 43 counts of fraud and 25 of theft on Thursday. Moolman was found guilty on the same charges, plus 15 more of fraud.

The court granted applications by Madikizela-Mandela and Moolman for leave to appeal against their conviction and sentence.

Their bail was increased from R5 000 to R10 000 each.

Afterwards, Madikizela-Mandela said she would resign as an MP, as the women's league president, as a member of the ANC's national executive committee, and from attendant positions in the party.

"This I will do in the fullness of time," she said.

False information on applications

The charges arose from bank loans to people whom it was claimed worked for the league.

Johnson found Moolman had submitted loan applications containing false information to Saambou Bank and brokerage firm Imstud.

The applications were accompanied by letters on the league's letterhead - and were signed in many cases by Madikizela-Mandela - stating the applicants worked for the league, while they did not.

Johnson found Moolman had arranged for premiums to be deducted from loan applicants' bank accounts for a non-existent funeral policy.

Madikizela-Mandela, who knew about this, later used the money to pay the salary of an employee of hers, the magistrate found.

Important role in liberation struggle

"Only a fool would underplay your role in the history of this country," Johnson told former president Nelson Mandela's ex-wife.

"Many of your years have been spent at the side of the greatest statesman of modern times and there's no doubt that you've played an important role in the liberation struggle," he said, "but somewhere, something went wrong.

"These facts are not a free ticket to get away with the crimes committed. You should have set an example."

After sentence was passed, Madikizela-Mandela said the outcome had offered an opportunity to refocus her energies and to do what appealed to her inner ideals.

The case "has helped me understand the history of the cause for which I have dedicated my life, to understand the players in the theatre of the struggle and the sacrifice that comes with that cause," she said. - AFX, Sapa

- AFX