Mandela’s Ex-Wife Arrested

PRETORIA, South Africa — Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the controversial ex-wife of former President Nelson Mandela, was arrested Thursday and charged with 85 counts of fraud and theft involving more than $100,000.

The charges stem from an alleged scam to obtain bank loans for nonexistent employees of the African National Congress Women’s League. Madikizela-Mandela is the president of the league and a member of Parliament.

She was charged with 60 counts of fraud involving $103,605 and with 25 counts of theft involving $1,040 that was supposed to have been deposited in a funeral insurance plan.

Authorities said Madikizela-Mandela and Addy Moolman, a broker described as her financial advisor, negotiated a deal with a bank last year to secure loans for women’s league employees.

Sixty people falsely claiming to be league employees then obtained loans from the bank, authorities said, using letters on league stationery. Most of those letters were signed by Madikizela-Mandela, authorities said.

Prosecutor Jan Ferreira said $61,000 was later deposited into Madikizela-Mandela’s personal accounts. Those have since been frozen, authorities said.

Moolman was also charged in the case and is in custody awaiting a Nov. 20 hearing.

Magistrate M. W. Mangweni set a bail of $555 for Madikizela-Mandela, which she paid.

An anti-apartheid heroine, Madikizela-Mandela, 67, is often criticized by President Thabo Mbeki and senior ANC officials, who call her self-promoting and insubordinate.