The Gauteng High Court (Johannesburg) has allowed Winnie Madikizela-Mandela's daughter, Zenani Mandela-Dlamini, to submit her affidavit, making it a valid part of the intense dispute over the estate.

City Press reports that Mandela-Dlamini in August requested the court to allow her to submit her affidavit. She emphasised the need to align the estates of both her late sister, Zindzi, and mother.

This after Zindzi’s husband, Molapo Motlhajwa, wrote to her lawyers, highlighting his interests in the estate on behalf of his deceased wife.

The contentious battle over the multi-million rand estate began in 2024 when Zondwa Mandela, one of Zindzi's sons, applied for a court interdict against the Master of the Gauteng High Court (Johannesburg) to nullify Mandela-Dlamini’s sole executorship.

The court order granted by Judge Stuart Wilson on 17 February acknowledged the reasons tabled by Mandela-Dlamini for her late affidavit, including that she frequently travels on SA ambassadorships.

The judgment noted that the delivery of Zenani Mandela-Dlamini’s answering affidavit in the main application under this case is condoned.

In his initial application, Zondwa claimed that his aunt, Zenani, was allegedly excluding them and hiding some of the estate's assets from the grandchildren.

According to his affidavit, which City Press has seen, Zondwa claimed that, as a result of his mother’s passing, he and his two siblings became direct heirs of Madikizela-Mandela’s estate and were cumulatively entitled to 50% of it.

In his affidavit, he stated that the dispute arose when he became aware of a letter addressed to the Master of the High Court by Mandela-Dlamini’s attorneys, requesting that she be made the sole executor. 

In response, Zondwa’s attorneys wrote a letter to the attorneys that same year, asserting his rights as a co-executor.

Full City Press report