Mandla marries Muslim woman in Cape Town

Mandla Mandela, the eldest grandson of Nelson Mandela, has married again – this time to Rabia Clarke, a Muslim woman, in a quiet ceremony in Cape Town on Saturday.

It appears the marriage was a closely guarded secret until pictures of the happy bride and groom appeared on social media yesterday.

In a statement released by media company Oryxx Media, the ANC MP said:

“I am honoured and delighted to announce my marriage to Rabia Clarke, in Cape Town, on 6 February 2016. I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Rabia’s parents, her extended family and the Muslim community, for welcoming me into their hearts.

“Although Rabia and I were raised in different cultural and religious traditions, our coming together reflects what we have in common: We are South Africans.”

A close family friend earlier yesterday confirmed to the Dispatch that the wedding took place at a mosque in Kensington, followed by a reception at Cape Town hotel 15 On Orange.

There was frenetic activity on Twitter as news of the wedding broke.

Hajir Clarke tweeted late yesterday: “Mandla Mandela and my sister Rabia Clarke got married yesterday.”

Pictures of the nikah (wedding) ceremony were widely shared, including one with Mandla holding a young girl, presumably a member of the bride’s family.

Mandela was reported to have adopted the Muslim faith three months ago.

“It was an intimate affair, about 150 guests,” the family friend said in Cape Town.

“Mandla’s mother and her parents were there,” she said.

Not much is known about the bride, other than that she hails from a respected Cape Town Muslim family.

Neither Mandela nor the cleric who officiated at the wedding responded to calls yesterday.

Hotel staff at 15 On Orange said they were not permitted to speak about the wedding, and referred queries to the hotel general manager – who was unavailable.

News of the ceremony prompted comments on the Facebook site Cape Town Muslim Events: “May the Almighty grant him to be steadfast in his deen and grant them sabr and contentment with each other. InshaAllah. Mabrook,” said one commentator.

One Twitter user was more cynical, suggesting that the ANC would “get more Muslim votes now”.

Mandela, 42, has a chequered marital history, with three marriages already under his belt.

His marriage to Swazi princess Mbali Makhathini in 2011 prompted a legal spat with his first wife, Tando Mabunu-Mandela, who managed to have the “royal” wedding annulled on the grounds that she and Mandela were technically still betrothed – their divorce had not yet been finalised.

A few months earlier she had already had his second marriage to a woman from Reunion island, Anais Grimaud, declared invalid on similar grounds.