South African court finds Nelson Mandela’s grandson guilty of assault

The grandson of ailing former South African President Nelson Mandela, Mandla Mandela. AFP

Johannesburg – Nelson Mandela’s eldest grandson and current member of parliament, Mandla Mandela, was convicted of assault by a regional court on Tuesday. Local media reported that this followed an alleged road-rage incident in 2013.

The grandson of ailing former South African President Nelson Mandela, Mandla Mandela, talks to journalists during a press conference recently. AFP Mandela, who is also a traditional chief in the Eastern Cape village of Mvezo where his famous grandfather was born, will face sentencing at a date yet to be announced. Prosecutors had charged Mandla Mandela with assault and brandishing a gun at another man. Local media said at the time the younger Mandela was reported to have drawn a gun on a 44 year-old teacher whose vehicle had collided with one driven by a guest of Mandla Mandela’s. The teacher later had to undergo emergency surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain, local media said. Mandela made headlines earlier in 2013 when a judge ordered him to return the remains of three of Nelson Mandela’s children – including those of his father – from a memorial centre. The centre is dedicated to his grandfather. He had been sued by more than a dozen of Mandela’s relatives who wanted the remains returned. (Reuters/NAN)