Mandela relatives held at gunpoint

Two men held grandchildren of Nelson Mandela at gunpoint in an attempted robbery, after they had returned from a birthday celebration for the former South African president, police said yesterday.

One of the robbers fired a shot, but they both fled when a chauffeur returned fire. No one was injured and no property was stolen during the raid at a family home in Johannesburg.

The attempted robbery came just five weeks after Mr Mandela, who turned 92 on Sunday, attended the funeral of his 13-year-old granddaughter Zenani, who was killed in a car crash.