Nelson Mandela’s grandson, who converted to Islam in order to marry his fourth wife, has angered members of his home village in South Africa by forbidding the sale of alcohol.
Mandla Mandela, 42, is Mandela’s eldest grandson and was made chief of the predominantly Christian area of Mvezo in the Eastern Cape province by his grandfather in 2007. He became a Muslim before marrying Rabia Clarke last February.
Since then, he has informed local bars and pubs that no alcohol is to be sold on his land. Trucks delivering beer have apparently been prevented from doing so.
A lawyer representing Mandela said the new rule was not made for religious reasons but because of the destructive effect that alcohol has on families.
Mandela said last year that alcohol killed his own father, who died of an AIDS related illness in 2005. He said: “One of the direct causes or influences of his death was alcohol. He told me and Ndaba [Mr Mandela’s younger brother] that we must look at him as an example that alcohol is bad, that we must never drink alcohol.”
But local businesses have accused him of hypocrisy for keeping alcohol at home for his guests. Nolulamile Mdudo, a bar owner, was quoted by the City Press newspaper as saying: “If he was so much against alcohol he would not have it at his home. For a whole month, trucks could not deliver our orders. I was shocked because even if he does not drink alcohol, we know that he keeps alcohol for his guests.”
