Foundation opposes book's Mandela foreword

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- The Nelson Mandela Foundation said Republic of the Congo President Denis Sassou-Nguesso should not have quoted Mandela in his book's foreword.

A top official with the foundation based in Johannesburg, South Africa, insists Mandela never read Sassou-Nguesso's book, the forward of which attributed to Mandela calls the Congolese official "one of our great African leaders," The Mail & Guardian Online said Friday.

"Mr. Mandela has neither read the book nor written a foreword for it ... we will be taking appropriate action," said Verne Harris, acting chief executive of the foundation.

Sassou-Nguesso's office said in a statement Mandela did use the words during a 1996 speech, The Mail & Guardian Online reported.

Meanwhile, South African Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale attempted to clarify the foreword conflict.

"The message I want to state is the following -- and it must be absolutely clear -- the book of President Sassou is a great book, and the quotations of Mr. Mandela in that book are supported by Mr. Mandela himself. The publishers just made a small mistake of saying the word 'foreword' but the quotation stands for itself," said Sexwale, a member of the Mandela foundation board.