mardi 31 décembre 2013
THE BURDEN THAT GRACA MACHEL MANDELA CARRIES
THE BURDEN THAT GRACA MACHEL MANDELA CARRIES
By Tikum Mbah Azonga
I would be surprised if at the time Graça Machel got married to South African President Nelson Mandela, she did not know that she was venturing into troubled waters. Graca got married to Mozambique’s President in 1975, and in 1986 her husband died in a plane crash. Machel and Mandela had both been friends and freedom fighters, each for his own country, before becoming presidents.
Graça`s decision to remarry was from the very outset bound to be controversial, especially as it would appear she and Samora were never divorced. Even so, Graça chose to remarry and fell for Nelson Mandela of all people. By that time Mandela had been married and got divorced from another woman, Evelyne Mase after she accused him of adultery. When Nelson got married to Graça, he had also divorced his second wife, Winnie Mandela. By getting married to Mandela, Graça jeopardized her role as Samora`s wife. Graça had two children, a daughter Jozina and a son Malnga for Samora. In addition, she became a step-mother to Machel`s five other children.
Mandela came into the marriage with Graça with a child he had with Evelyn and two others he had with Winnie. That means that as Mandela`s legitimate wife and the former wife of Samora, Graça has charge of ten children. They would be more if we include the offspring of Mandela`s late children.
The question now is whether Graça as Mrs. Mandela, will move Machel`s seven children into Mandela`s home where she is living. Also, when it comes to memorial services, will she hold them only for Mandela or for both Mandela and Samora Machel? In other words, whose widow is she really? Now that Graça has elected residence in Mandela`s home, will she still be visiting Samora`s estate or has she become totally cut off from Machel and Mozambique, a country where she once held several important posts including that of Minister for Education and Culture?
Another problem is that shortly after Mandela`s death, cracks appeared in his family as some people sought to prevent Graca from having access to Mandela`s wealth. So it would appear as though the shelter which Mandela gave her disappeared with Mandela`s demise. Shall she stand the heat?
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THE BURDEN THAT GRACA MACHEL MANDELA CARRIES
RépondreSupprimerBy Tikum Mbah Azonga
I would be surprised if at the time Graça Machel got married to South African President Nelson Mandela, she did not know that she was venturing into troubled waters. Graca got married to Mozambique’s President in 1975, and in 1986 her husband died in a plane crash. Machel and Mandela had both been friends and freedom fighters, each for his own country, before becoming presidents.
Graça`s decision to remarry was from the very outset bound to be controversial, especially as it would appear she and Samora were never divorced. Even so, Graça chose to remarry and fell for Nelson Mandela of all people. By that time Mandela had been married and got divorced from another woman, Evelyne Mase after she accused him of adultery. When Nelson got married to Graça, he had also divorced his second wife, Winnie Mandela. By getting married to Mandela, Graça jeopardized her role as Samora`s wife. Graça had two children, a daughter Jozina and a son Malnga for Samora. In addition, she became a step-mother to Machel`s five other children.
Mandela came into the marriage with Graça with a child he had with Evelyn and two others he had with Winnie. That means that as Mandela`s legitimate wife and the former wife of Samora, Graça has charge of ten children. They would be more if we include the offspring of Mandela`s late children.
The question now is whether Graça as Mrs. Mandela, will move Machel`s seven children into Mandela`s home where she is living. Also, when it comes to memorial services, will she hold them only for Mandela or for both Mandela and Samora Machel? In other words, whose widow is she really? Now that Graça has elected residence in Mandela`s home, will she still be visiting Samora`s estate or has she become totally cut off from Machel and Mozambique, a country where she once held several important posts including that of Minister for Education and Culture?
Another problem is that shortly after Mandela`s death, cracks appeared in his family as some people sought to prevent Graca from having access to Mandela`s wealth. So it would appear as though the shelter which Mandela gave her disappeared with Mandela`s demise. Shall she stand the heat?