Mandela's ex-wife to face trial accused of cash scam
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela is to stand trial on theft and fraud charges next year.
She was arrested last month and charged with 85 counts of fraud and theft involving nearly £75,000.
She has appeared in a Pretoria court, where her trial date was set for July 8-19. Her bail has been extended.
The charges stem from an alleged scam to obtain bank loans for non-existent employees of the African National Congress Women's League, of which Madikizela-Mandela is the president.
Addy Moolman, a broker also charged in the case, surrendered to police in June and will stand trial with Madikizela-Mandela.
Authorities said Madikizela-Mandela and Moolman, whom they described as her financial adviser, negotiated a deal with Saambou Bank last year to secure loans for women's league staff.
Sixty people falsely claiming to be women's league employees then obtained loans from the bank, according to authorities.
They add that those people all carried letters on women's league stationery confirming their employment, and most of those letters were signed by Madikizela-Mandela.
Prosecutor Jan Ferreira said £41,000 was later deposited into Madikizela-Mandela's personal accounts. The accounts have since been frozen, authorities said.
