After firing his estranged wife from her Cabinet post last month, then being forced to take her back on a technicality, President Nelson Mandela fired her again Friday, this time by the book.
Mandela fired Winnie Mandela Friday as deputy minister of arts, culture, science and technology after consulting with other political parties - something he forgot to do the last time around.Mandela said he reconsidered his wife's appointment, in light of her legal challenge to the dismissal originally announced March 27. Still, he came up with the same answer: She must go.
He declined to give his reasons but was known to be angry at his wife for insubordination, particularly for taking a trip in March to West Africa in defiance of his orders and for criticizing him for not moving quickly enough to help the country's poor.
"I sincerely hope that this action will help her to reflect and improve on her conduct in positions of leadership," he said in a statement given to the South African Press Association.
Police, meanwhile, are investigating an informant's allegations that Winnie Mandela engaged in corruption and influence-peddling with a builder who was trying to land a government housing contract.
Winnie Mandela was reinstated to her job two days ago after she sued, saying her dismissal was illegal because not all political parties in Mandela's government had been consulted, as required by the constitution.
Her lawsuit appeared to have little chance until a long-time rival of the president's, Zulu leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi, took up her cause, complaining that he was not consulted about the dismissal.
Mandela decided it was easier to rehire and fire his estranged wife than to engage in a long and spectacular legal battle.
