Locks changed on Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela's house as family feud boils over

The latest developments are part of a long-running feud between the two, both of whom have been jostling for position at head of the family

The locks at the home of Nelson Mandela’s eldest grandson Mandla Mandela in Qunu have been changed amid reports that a long-standing family feud is set to worsen in the wake of his death. (Getty)

The locks at the home of Nelson Mandela’s eldest grandson Mandla Mandela in Qunu have been changed amid reports that a long-standing family feud is set to worsen in the wake of his death.

The South African president’s former residence, built in his ancestral village prior to his release from prison, was made out of bounds to Mandla after the arrival of Mandela’s eldest daughter Makaziwe on Thursday, according to reports.

The water and electricity supplies to Mandla’s house on the estate were apparently turned off on Saturday on the eve of Mandela’s funeral, while Makaziwe is said to have ordered her nephew to remove his livestock from the property.

Furthermore, the South African Times reports that Mandla’s friends and close family were deliberately ‘side-lined’ at Mandela’s funeral and refused access to the burial site.

“He doesn’t want to focus on those type of things anymore,” Mandla’s spokesman, Freddy Pilusa told The Telegraph. “What he wants to do is to preserve and uphold the legacy of Madiba.”

The latest developments are part of a long-running dispute between the two over their position at head of the family and the control of Mandela’s legacy and estate.

Arguments have also been sparked over who will inherit his trust funds and own the rights to use Mandela’s name and image posthumously.

The disagreements were first made public in June, after Makaziwe accused Mandla of exhuming and moving the remains of Mandela’s deceased children from Qunu to nearby Mvezo. She obtained a court order to have the bodies returned to the village of Qunu.

Makaziwe is thought to have taken charge of the organisation of Mandela’s Qunu funeral while Mandla watched over Mandela’s body at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

“I, like most in the family, told myself that when the eventuality of Madiba's passing arrives, I would not mourn but celebrate all that is good that he has left within me and for the world,“ he said in a statement released on Monday.

Nelson Mandela’s Funeral: A Final Farewell For Madiba

“I was however mistaken because the pain of losing him unexpectedly got to me like one pierced by a sharp spear.”

A 30-foot bronze statue of Nelson Mandela was unveiled outside the government’s Union Buildings in the South African capital yesterday.

Portraying Mr Mandela with his arms outstretched, the current South African president Jacob Zuma said it had been designed to to show that he had embraced the entire nation.

Mr Mandela had a full state funeral at his ancestral home on Sunday following a 10-day mourning period after he passed away aged 95.

“Former President Mandela is associated with the promotion of reconciliation which is why the day was chosen for the unveiling,” said the South African government.

Read more on that story here.