Haunted by a hat
A public scrap shows tensions at the top
SHE “flaunted her disrespect”, boomed the president's spokesman last week. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela's “tomfoolery” and “unbecoming” behaviour spoiled a commemoration of the 1976 Soweto uprising on June 16th. She came late, interrupted a speech, drew loud chants of “Winnie, Winnie” from the crowd and flounced on stage to kiss President Thabo Mbeki. He drew back and seemed to knock her baseball cap to the ground. Unhappily for him, television crews filmed it all.
This article appeared in the International section of the print edition under the headline “Haunted by a hat”
From the June 30th 2001 edition
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