Mandla Mandela

South African politician (born 1974)

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|

Chief

Mandla Mandela

Born|

Zwelivelile Mthengisi Mandela

(1974-06-21) 21 June 1974 (age 51)

Orlando East, Soweto, South Africa

Nationality| South African
Alma mater| Rhodes University (B.A.)
Occupation(s)| Tribal chief, politician
Title| Chief of Mvezo Traditional Council
Political party| African National Congress
Spouse(s)| Tando Mandela, nee Mabunu (Nkosikazi Nodayimani Mandela, m. 2004; div. 2018)
Anaïs Grimaud (Nkosikazi Nobubele Mandela, m. 2010; sep. 2012)

Mbali Makhathini (Nkosikazi Nodiyala Mandela

(m. 2011)​

Nkosikazi Raabia Nosekeni Clarke-Mandela

(m. 2016)​

Children| 3
Parent(s)| Makgatho Mandela
Rose Rayne Perry
Relatives| Nelson Mandela (grandfather)
Evelyn Mase (grandmother)
Ndaba Mandela (half-brother)

Zwelivelile "Mandla" Mandela, MP (born 21 June 1974)[1] is the tribal chief of the Mvezo Traditional Council and the grandson of Nelson Mandela.[2][3] He graduated from Rhodes University with a degree in Politics in 2007.[4]

## Succession to the chieftaincy

[edit]

Main article: Mandela family

His father, Makgatho Mandela, died in 2005, which paved his way to the headship of the clan. As the tribe did not discuss electing a member from the Mandela family until 2007, he was chosen as successor. Nelson Mandela had given up the right of Thembu leader nearly 70 years prior to fight white rule in South Africa. As the tribe now looked to him to reclaim his title, he suggested his grandson assume the role. When the younger Mandela became chief in 2007, he was only 32 years old and most of his duties were said to involve tribal ceremonies, settling disputes among clan members, and representing the tribe on political issues.

## Career and education

[edit]

Mandela has been a member of parliament for the African National Congress since the 2009 election.[5]

Prior to both his succession to the chieftaincy and his election to parliament, he attended Waterford Kamhlaba, a United World College in Swaziland (now Eswatini), until 1995.

## Personal life

[edit]

His first wife was Princess Tando Mandela, née Mabunu of the Madiba clan. They married in June 2004 in both a civil ceremony and a traditional ceremony. She was then proclaimed Princess Nodayimani Mandela, a title given to her by President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela; this was the only marriage Madiba attended personally. They were accused of incest due to their shared membership of the Thembu Madiba clan. Despite this, traditional ceremonies were nevertheless observed. Princess Nodayimani is known as the Spear Wife. [6] She successfully filed for divorce in 2018, and the annulment of his other marriages.

His second wife was Anaïs Grimaud, a French citizen born in 1990 in Réunion, who changed her name to Chieftess Nobubele. They married in March 2010 in a traditional ceremony. She gave birth in September 2011 to Qheya II Zanethemba Mandela, who was presented to his great-grandfather Nelson Mandela at a naming ceremony in Qunu. In August 2012, Chief Mandela denied paternity, claiming it was the result of an affair with his brother.[7][8][9]

His third wife was Mbali Makhathini (or, as she is otherwise styled, Chieftess Nodiyala Mandela), whom he married on 24 December 2011 at Mvezo. She went on to marry a second husband, and now has a son with him. She claims to be happily married and enjoying motherhood after many failed attempts to conceive in her first marriage.

On 6 February 2016, Chief Mandela married his fourth wife, Rabia Clarke, in an Islamic ceremony in Cape Town. She is now styled Chieftess Rabia Nosekeni Clarke-Mandela socially. Clarke comes from a Muslim household in the suburbs of Cape Town, and Mandela converted to Islam two months prior to the wedding in order to marry her.[10] The couple have three children.

Chief Mandela practices the Thembu and Muslim traditions concurrently.

## Views

[edit]

During a conference in Dakar, Senegal, hosted by the Pan African Palestinian Solidarity Network, Mandela placed the blame for the Russian invasion of Ukraine to "neo-Nazis", Israel, and NATO.[11]

Mandela joined the 2024 Gaza freedom flotilla. His Twitter account was suspended after writing about the flotilla.[12][13]

In October 2024, the United Kingdom denied Mandela a visa over his "support for Hamas" and his attendance at the funeral of its leader, Ismael Haniyeh.[14] On his personal social media account, he has expressed support for the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel.[15]

## Grave controversy

[edit]

Members of the Mandela family approached the Mthatha High Court in July 2013 to force Mandela to return the remains of three of Nelson Mandela's children to Qunu. Mandela had moved them to Mvezo, without consulting the Mandela family in 2011. The family also laid a criminal case of tampering with a grave. A South African High Court judge, Judge Lusindiso Phakade, ruled in favour of the complainants. He ordered Mandela to exhume and rebury the bodies at Qunu.[16]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Nelson Mandela grandson Mandla Mandela is born – 21 June 1974". nelsonmandela. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
2. ^ "Genealogy". Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory. Nelson Mandela Foundation. Archived from the original on 16 January 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
3. ^ Mabena, Khethiwe (9 June 2009). "'Mandla' tells court to use his real name". The Times. Archived from the original on 10 June 2009.
4. ^ Quinn, Andrew (16 April 2007). "Mandela's grandson becomes tribal chief, political heir". Reuters.
5. ^ "Mandela grandson enters politics". BBC News. 5 March 2009. Retrieved 5 March 2009.
6. ^ ‘Not my son,’ says Mandla Mandela IOL
7. ^ Ex gives shock support to Mandela paternity denial Times
8. ^ ""He's Not My Son" - Nelson Mandela's Grandson Mandla Mandela Kicks Out His Second Wife Anais Grimaud - DNA Test revealed "Son" Qheya fathered by his Brother - BellaNaija". www.bellanaija.com. 14 August 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
9. ^ Mandla Mandela 'infertile', court told IOL
10. ^ Hassen, Shu’eib (9 February 2016). "Mandela's grandson gets married in Muslim ceremony". Anadolu Agency. Archived from the original on 27 December 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
11. ^ "Mandela's grandson blames Israel for Russian invasion of Ukraine". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 18 March 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
12. ^ "Why Did Elon Musk Just Kick Nelson Mandela's Grandson Off X?". Yahoo News. 26 April 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
13. ^ "Mavi Marmara 2: New aid flotilla to sail from Turkey to 'break siege' of Gaza - report". The Jerusalem Post. 14 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
14. ^ "The UK denies a visa to Mandela's grandson over his support for Hamas". Associated Press. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
15. ^ "Mandela's grandson denied entry to UK for pro-Palestinian talks". The Independent. 15 October 2024. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
16. ^ "Mandla Mandela loses court battle". Eyewitness News. 3 July 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2020.

## External links

[edit]

* Mandela's grandson a Xhosa chief
* Mandela family united by grief and fight against Aids
* Mandela's legacy Archived 5 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine

* v
* t
* e

Nelson Mandela

* 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013
President of South Africa (1994–1999)
* President of the African National Congress (1991–1997)

Life|

* Early life
* Mandela and Tambo law firm
* UMkhonto we Sizwe
* 1955 Congress of the People
* Freedom Charter
* Treason Trial
* Rivonia Trial
* Robben Island
* Pollsmoor Prison
* Victor Verster Prison
* Negotiations to end apartheid in South Africa
* Liliesleaf Farm
* Mandela House and museum
* Nelson Mandela Children's Fund
* Nelson Mandela Foundation
* The Elders
* 70th Birthday Tribute
* 90th Birthday Tribute
* Awards and honours
* Death and state funeral
* state memorial service attendees
* funeral attendees

Presidency|

* 1994 election
* Presidency
* Government of National Unity
* Reconstruction and Development Programme
* Truth and Reconciliation Commission
* Constitution of South Africa
* 1995 Rugby World Cup
* Intervention in Lesotho
* Mahlamba Ndlopfu

Books and
speeches|

* "I Am Prepared to Die" (1964 speech)
* Long Walk to Freedom (1994)
* Mandela: The Authorised Biography (1999)
* Conversations With Myself (2010)
* Dare Not Linger: The Presidential Years (2017)

Legacy and
namesakes|

* Mandela Day
* Nelson Mandela Forum
* Nelson Mandela Institution
* 46664 concerts
* Mandela Rhodes Scholarship
* Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Mandela Rules)
* Nelson Mandela Challenge
* Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate
* Nelson Mandela Invitational
* Nelson Mandela International Airport
* Nelson Mandela Square
* Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality
* Mandela National Stadium
* Nelson Mandela Bridge
* Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital
* Ponts Nelson-Mandela
* Nelson Mandela University
* Nelson Mandela Children's Fund

Film depictions|

* Mandela (1987)
* Death of Apartheid (1995)
* Mandela (1996)
* Mandela: Son of Africa, Father of a Nation (1996)
* Mandela and de Klerk (1997)
* Goodbye Bafana (2007)
* Endgame (2009)
* Invictus (2009)
* Winnie Mandela (2011)
* Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013)
* Mandela's Gun (2016)

Family|

* Ngubengcuka (great-grandfather)
* Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa (father)
* Nosekeni Fanny (mother)
* Evelyn Mase (wife)
* Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (wife)
* Graça Machel (wife)
* Makgatho Mandela (son)
* Makaziwe Mandela (daughter)
* Zenani Mandela-Dlamini (daughter)
* Zindzi Mandela (daughter)
* Ndileka Mandela (granddaughter)
* Mandla Mandela (grandson)
* Zoleka Mandela (granddaughter)
* Ndaba Mandela (grandson)

Related|

* African National Congress
* history
* International Tribute Concert
* Madiba shirt
* "Free Nelson Mandela" (song)
* "Mandela Day" (song)
* "Rise Up" (song)
* "Bring Him Back Home (Nelson Mandela)" (song)
* Nelson Mandela (EP)
* Atlanta sculpture
* Cape Town City Hall statue
* Johannesburg statue
* London statue
* Pretoria statue
* Washington, D.C. statue
* Ismail Ayob

* Category

*[m.]: married
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