Have Mandela ‘Funeral Rights’ Already Been Sold?

An ugly divorce between Mandla Mandela and his estranged wife has resulted in the granting of the latter’s bid to find out if the funeral rights for his grandfather have been sold.

Judge Pilisa Mnqandi granted Thando Mandela-Mabunu’s application to force her estranged husband to tell her, within 10 days, if he had indeed sold the rights to the funeral of former president Nelson Mandela – Mandla’s grandfather -, and if so, for how much.

If it has happened, it is pretty un-African. One cannot profit from the death of one’s elders before they are gone. There is something ugly and sinister about that.

Mandla has already had his cattle attached, half his bank accounts frozen, two of his marriages annulled and criminal charges laid against him.

The charges are for bigamy after Mandla married a third wife despite a court order barring him from doing so. Divorce proceedings have been going on since 2009. Mandela-Mabunu keeps tabs on Mandla and so far has prevented him from taking on customary wives.