Winnie Mandela Book To Be Withdrawn From Shelves

Tafelberg publishers has apologised “unreservedly” to Redi
Tlhabi, Sisonke Msimang and Palesa Morudu “for causing distress” to
the three respected journalists and writers.

Their quotes on Winnie Madikizela-Mandela were used on the back
sleeve to sell the Tafelberg book “Truth, Lies and Alibis: A Winnie
Mandela Story” by veteran journalist Fred Bridgland.

Tafelberg said in its apology: “We are in the process of making
amends and are contacting the affected journalists. We are removing
the quotations from the cover for a new jacket for the book, and
will replace it on the shelves with the rejacketed books wherever
possible. The quotations will also be removed from online
descriptions of the book.”

The three women say they were not asked if their words –
published in various articles and not written as a “shout out” –
could be included and are angry that they are being used to appear
to endorse a book without their permission and whose views they do
not necessarily support.

Bridgland’s book makes a strong case around the crimes that
Madikizela-Mandela and her Mandela United Football Club are alleged
to have committed and presents a mostly negative view of the
freedom fighter.

Tlhabi, a well known broadcaster, author and journalist, wrote a
scathing letter to Tafelberg which she released via WhatsApp.

She wrote: “You take a sentence in an article I wrote, and place
it prominently at the back of the book knowing that readers will
assume it would be interpreted as a ‘blurb’ or a ‘shout out.’ Even
the most average reader would interpret a shout out as a statement
of endorsement. People hardly write unkind shout-outs.”

Legal opinion sought by City Press by a leading lawyer who does
not wish to be named is that: “My understanding of quotes and/or
excerpts by other authors on book covers mean that they have read
the book and as such they endorse it. I have never heard of a
publisher doing what they did on this book, but I could be
wrong.”