Nelson Mandela's grandson charged with grave tampering

Mandla Mandela, the eldest grandson of Nelson Mandela, has been accused of illegal grave tampering by members of the Mandela family.

Area police said that the family opened a case against him Tuesday morning. A public prosecutor will decide whether to press charges, said Col. Mzukisi Fatyela of the Mthatha police.

The graves allegedly tampered with were those of three of Nelson Mandela's children, who were moved from a family graveyard two years ago by Mandla Mandela.

A judge has been asked to determine where Nelson Mandela's body should be buried once he dies. A ruling is expected to be made Wednesday to determine where Mandela will be buried.

Nelson Mandela, 94, is thought to be on life support in a Pretoria hospital. He said he wants to be buried in his childhood village, Qunu, alongside his children.

Since Mandla Mandela inherited his position as a Thembu tribe chief, he has moved the bodies of his children to neighboring Mvezo, which is 13 miles away. The bodies were exhumed without permission from the rest of the Mandela family and the elders of the AbaThembu royal house, into which Mandela was born.

The family and local chiefs were granted an interim order to exhume the bodies and return them to Qunu, but Mandla Mandela is contesting the ruling.

Sixteen members of the Mandela family applied to have the bodies moved back to Qunu.