He is Africa's most famous man, the subject of countless biographies and TV documentaries, his every move now scrutinised more closely than ever. But nobody, it seems, has any idea how rich Nelson Mandela is, or where his money came from.
Newspaper cuttings about the issue are remarkably scarce. Such is Mandela's quasi-religious status that questions on the subject are almost taboo.One local journalist, who did not wish to be named, said: "Most South Africans have not wanted to ask. It's a thing that people have looked away from. I know Mandela never had a hard time asking for money. He was known as the African National Congress's greatest fundraiser."
But Mandela also showed a laudable aversion to greed. He cut his presidential salary when he came to power in 1994, and handed over a further third of it as a regular donation to a children's fund. His homes in Johannesburg and his ancestral village of Qunu are grand by local standards but hardly palatial.
Last year it emerged that in 2005 Mandela gave Jacob Zuma, the current South African president, a cheque for 1m rand, then worth about £80,000. This followed an earlier gift of 2m rand. It is unlikely to have been the only time he bailed out a struggling comrade.
George Bizos, Mandela's longtime friend and lawyer, said: "If anyone suggests he's a multi-millionaire, they're wrong. He's not a rich man. He has a couple of trusts for his children and grandchildren. His earnings are technically nil, other than the goodwill of people inside and outside South Africa who helped with the education of the children. He has always insisted that money donated should be used for building schools and hospitals."
This question becomes pertinent on the heels of his children haven launched a court case against several business associates of the former president in a dispute over the control of two companies and especially because they anticipate his near exit. They want their piece of the action sorted on time huh!?
The children are reportedly saying that lawyers George Bizos and Bally Chuene, and businessman Tokyo Sexwale, have no right to remain as directors of companies whose main purpose was to channel funds from the sale of 94-year-old Nelson Mandela's handprints.The newspaper also quoted Bizos as saying the Mandela daughters are 'trying to get their hands on the money', estimated to be more than £1.1million.
