Confusion at Winnie debt auction

Johannesburg - A sheriff of the court arrived at Winnie Madikizela-Mandela's house in Orlando West, Soweto, on Tuesday to auction items to recover a debt, but left after failing to gain entry to the property.

He left after knocking on the brown gate. The auctioneer was also there, holding a green file.

Local and international reporters and cameramen surrounded them outside the house, on a hill. When there was no reply, the sheriff and auctioneer got back into their car to make a phone call. 

Aislinn Laing @Simmoa tweeted that "bailiffs have apparently got permission to get a locksmith but no one wants to be the one that broke into Winnie's house. They've driven off."

Denzil Taylor @DenzilTaylor tweeted that the Sheriff's office said there is no locksmith to go into the house... "the one guy in Soweto will not assist us."

Laing described the atmosphere outside the house as carnival as "bored journos sprint after every car that drives past and banter with amused locals".

Jacaranda Newsteam @Jacanews 47s said the sheriff has left, waving to media.

Madikizela-Mandela's attorney was not immediately available to comment on whether he had managed to get an agreement on the final amount owed to her grand niece's college.

Earlier on Tuesday her lawyer said eleventh-hour negotiations were under way to prevent the auction of some of MP Winnie Madikizela-Mandela's personal items to cover a debt to a college.

"I have paid the full amount in terms of the capital. The only issue is the amount outstanding on interest," said Yandisa Dudula.

He had been personally instructed to pay the balance, which he did on Monday.

Art, furniture and a silver tea-set belonging to the ANC struggle icon were set to go under the hammer after a court judgment that she had defaulted on payment of fees to Abbotts College for her great niece, according to a report by The Sowetan.

The Sowetan reported that Madikizela-Mandela signed an agreement on January 11 2008, pledging to pay R40 000 in accommodation fees, but there was an outstanding amount which included interest and legal fees.

Dudula was working to resolve the issue before the auction's scheduled start at 10:00.