Interview was Fabricated

Courtesy of News24:

ANC stalwart Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has denied giving an interview to Nadira Naipaul that was published in the London Evening Standard.

"I did not give Ms Naipaul an interview. It is therefore not necessary for me to respond in any detail to the contents of a fabricated interview," she said in a statement on Friday.

In the interview, she is quoted as saying, among other things, that Nelson Mandela agreed to a "bad deal" for blacks.

"I will in the coming days deal with what I see as an inexplicable attempt to undermine the unity of my family, the legacy of Nelson Mandela and the high regard with which the name Mandela is held here and across the globe," she said.

'Alleged' interview

In a statement issued by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, on behalf of Madikizela-Mandela, she said: "In response to the 'alleged' interview with Ms Nadira Naipaul, published initially in the London Evening Standard and then widely picked up by media across the world, I would like to state categorically: I did not give Ms Naipaul an interview...

"I have already had the opportunity to speak to Bishop Tutu, who was also in Atlanta, USA where I addressed a meeting.

"I intend speaking with Madiba and [his wife] Graca [Machel], as I regularly do. I will also have to deal with the hurt caused to my children and grandchildren by the unwarranted and untrue statements about their private lives."

Madikizela-Mandela said she appreciated the fact that the African National Congress decided to hear her side of the story first "before making any judgements".

"I repeat that I did not give Ms Naipaul any interview. Any further questions about the content of that fictitious interview should be addressed to her."

The alleged interview was published on the London Evening Standard's website on March 8 and was published in The Star newspaper on Tuesday, March 9.

Several South African media used her comments in reports and Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille commented on the remarks in her weekly newsletter on Friday.

The ANC said it would not comment until it had spoken to Madikizela-Mandela, who was in the United States this week.

Mandela criticised

In the alleged interview, Naipaul described how bitter Madikizela-Mandela seemed and that she said Nelson Mandela had become a "corporate foundation" who was being "wheeled out to collect the money".

Naipaul said the interview was conducted when she and her husband, writer VS Naipaul, visited Madikizela-Mandela in Soweto.

According to Naipaul, Madikizela-Mandela also called Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu a "cretin".

She also said "this name Mandela is an albatross around the necks of my family" and that she could not forgive her former husband for accepting the Nobel Peace Prize with apartheid's last president FW de Klerk.

Speaking My Language...

There's something about travelling that forces you to extend your communication skills. in everyday life, grunts and nods will do when you're talking to your colleagues or partner but when you're travelling, you have to speak Travel. Its a whole other language, like French.

I found this article on News24 about what to say and what not to say when next you take the road and skies. Call it your travel glossary...


Airport Code: These three-letter codes will help you identify airports.

APEX ("Advance Purchase Excursion") Fare: It sounds like the latest Nike trainer. But in travel terms it refers to the lowest and most heavily restricted airfare.

Baggage Check: You’ll get this official receipt, issued by a carrier, for your luggage.

Base Fare/Rate: This is the price you’d pay for your travel service before taxes and add-on charges. So in other words, you’ll pay more than the base rate.

Blackout Periods: When your special rates are not in effect because of a period of high demand.

Bumping: It’s the practice of removing confirmed passengers from overbooked flights.

City Pair: The origin and destination points of a flight segment.

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW): This is the daily insurance fee paid by you to cover liability for accident damages to your rented car.

Companion Fare: It’s promotional airfare whereby you can purchase a second ticket at a discount provided you have a travelling partner.

Concierge: This is individual in a hotel responsible for attending to your special needs and services.

Delay: A term we're all familiar with and hope we never have to deal with.

Extended Stay: This means a hotel stay of seven or more nights.

Fare basis: Refers to the conditions, including service class and ticketing provisions, which determine a fare.

Group Rate: If you and your entourage make up 10 or more guests, you qualify for this special room rate.

Hub: This when an airline has major operations and connecting flights to smaller destinations from a specific airport.

Last-Room Availability: The hotel’s electronic reservation system that provides you with current information about the hotel’s available inventory.

Meeting Fare: If you’re 10 or more travelling to the same event, you get a negotiated airline discount.

Net Fare or Net Rate: The price for a travel service, minus an agent’s commission and without tax.

Open Ticket: If you have one, it’s valid for transportation between certain points up until a specific time but indicates no specific reservation.

Prepaid Ticket: This isif you purchase an airline ticket in one location for a traveller in another. The traveller picks up the prepaid ticket from the airline ticket counter.

Room Tax: You’ll pay this state or local tax which is imposed on hotel room charges.

Split Ticketing: This is when the airline issues two one-way tickets instead of a round-trip ticket, usually for purpose of obtaining a lower fare.

Tourism Radio: When it seems like you have a local tour guide in your hire car telling you everything you need to know about an area when you're in it! Visit www.tourismradio.co.za to find out more...

Unlimited Mileage: When you can drive a rented car with an unlimited number of miles without paying an additional mileage charge.

Window of Convenience: Refers to two hours on either side of ideal departure or arrival time.