JOHANNESBURG, Jan 29: A tap of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela's telephone in 1988 and '89 indicated she was having an affair with an anti-apartheid activist while her then husband, Nelson Mandela, was in jail, a policeman said on Wednesday.Superintendent Louis Watermeyer told the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) at a special hearing here that transcripts of the phone tap showed that Winnie had used terms of endearment when speaking to the activist, Themba Mabotha. Watermeyer said phrases such as ``oh my lovely where are you?'' and ``I miss you,'' were used by Winnie when speaking to Mabotha.
Winnie, meanwhile, decided not to attend a special truth commission hearing into police involvement in a smear campaign against her, her lawyer said today.
Ishmail Semenya arrived alone at the start of the hearing here and told reporters that Winnie would not be coming.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.