Winnie Mandela faces jail after fraud case

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was facing jail yesterday after a South African court convicted her of dozens of counts of fraud and theft of 1m rand (£65,000).

The anti-apartheid campaigner and MP, who will be sentenced today, faces a 15-year jail term and an undignified end to her political career.

Madikizela-Mandela, 64, has survived many serious run-ins with the law. But observers said yesterday that the ex-wife of Nelson Mandela was unlikely to escape jail this time. "I think even the most optimistic legal practitioner will rule out any chances of her succeeding if she elects to appeal against her conviction ... the only reasonable thing to do now is to write her off," said a lawyer in Johannesburg.

Madikizela-Mandela was convicted after state prosecutors at Pretoria Regional Court said letters bearing her signature were used to secure loans for bogus employees of the women's league of the ruling African National Congress (ANC). Peet Johnson, the magistrate, saidMadikizela-Mandela, who is president of the league, signed her own fate.

"The evidence of the state is overwhelming," Mr Johnson said as he convicted Madikizela-Mandela on 43 counts of fraud and 25 of theft. Her broker and co-accused, Addy Moolman, was convicted on 58 charges of fraud and 25 of theft.

The theft charges related to money deducted from loan applicants' bank accounts for a funeral policy that did not exist.

The two defendants, who pleaded not guilty, were impassive as Mr Johnson read his two-and-a-half hour verdict. Madikizela-Mandela dismissed the charges as a "pack of lies" based on a "sick law". She admitted signing some of the letters but said she had done so without checking their contents. Mr Johnson said it was "highly improbable" that a woman of her stature would have signed so many letters without knowing what they were about.

Mr Johnson said Madikizela-Mandela's evidence was often unreliable. She had contradicted herself on a number of issues, he said.

Madikizela-Mandela, known for her taste for designer clothes and the high life, was wearing a cream suit. She did not speak to Moolman while in the dock, although she later smiled and laughed as she consulted with her legal team.

She rummaged through her handbag as Mr Johnson read the judgement and her daughter Zinzi, who was in court, chewed gum throughout the proceedings. She stopped when the verdict was given.

Security was tight as a crowd of about 150 supporters of Madikizela-Mandela gathered at the entrance. Chanting "Viva Winnie, Viva" and "amandla ngawethu" (power to the people), they raised clenched fists and danced as Madikizela-Mandela was escorted from the court by about 20 police officers. Only a handful of her supporters were able to find seats in the packed courtroom.

Known as the "mother of the nation" for her struggle against apartheid, Madikizela-Mandela has enjoyed support among poor black South Africans.

They say they have yet to see the fruits of their struggle against South Africa's system of racial segregation which ended in 1994.

Madikizela-Mandela married Mr Mandela in 1958. They formally separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996 after he accused her of infidelity. She campaigned tirelessly for the anti-apartheid struggle following Mr Mandela's arrest in 1964 just six years after they married. She gained her status as a heroine during her subsequent years of detention, banishment and arrest.

But she has always been a figure of controversy. Her critics labelled her the "mugger of the nation" after she was convicted in 1992 of kidnapping a young activist called Stompie , Seipei, who was murdered. Her six-year sentence for the offence was reduced to two years, suspended, on appeal.

Her reputation suffered further when Mr Mandela sacked her as a deputy minister from his newly-elected ANC government in 1995 for insubordination. She arrived late at rallies, missed meetings and was not shy about criticising her ANC colleagues including Thabo Mbeki, now President of South Africa, with whom she did not see eye-to-eye.

Madikizela-Mandela has been censured by parliament for her serial absenteeism and has had several legal wrangles with banks.