Archbishop Tutu Lays Malicious Damage Charges Against Granddaughter


By Oliver Ngwenya    17-May-2015 10:39 UTC+02:00 1
Archbishop Desmond Tutu has laid charges against granddaughter for malicious damage to property.  Image:IOL

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has laid charges against granddaughter for malicious damage to property.
Image:IOL

The Tutu family has made headlines even though this is nothing new as they have always been a newsworthy family owing to the popularity of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu. This time, the name of the Tutus was dragged through the media mud after the couple laid charges against their granddaughter twice in the week leading up to Friday.

It initially emerged on Friday that the Tutus had laid a charge of malicious damage to property after their granddaughter, Ziyanda Palesa Tutu broke some crockery items in her grandparents’ home. According to media sources, when she was talking to Leah, her grandmother, she grabbed the latter’s walking stick and proceeded to start smashing household items.

A source within the family quoted in some media circles says the granddaughter may have been ‘pushed to act uncharacteristically’ However, this is contrary to what has been said by Ziyanda Tutu herself as she said she would hand herself over to the police for the debacle in her grandparents’ home. The two appear to have a long standing rivalry judging from what Ziyanda posted on her Twitter account. She said, “For years there has been animosity against me and now my grandparents have blown this matter out of proportion.” However, after a second complaint was laid against her by her grandparents for intimidation, Ziyanda went on to post “We are waging war. Truths will be revealed,” on her Twitter account. It could also be telling to note that she describes herself as “Desmond Tutu’s first grandchild” and also that she holds “controversial political and religious views”.

The police’s Captain Frederick van Wyk confirmed to the media that a complaint had been lodged with them of intimidation by the Tutus, adding also that the same complainant had come back two days later to add an intimidation case to the original one of malicious damage to property. On Friday, responding to enquiries made in response to Ziyanda’s Twitter barrage, the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation said, “We confirm that a criminal charge has been laid and that police are conducting an investigation. We are naturally distressed and deeply saddened.”



  Comments


  1. AchillesAchillesAchilles says:

    Perhaps Archbishop Tutu will blame this criminal activity on Jewish ancestry of the perpetrator?

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