Actually, he left her and declared his marriage at an end in April 1992, because the problems in his private life threatened to derail his political credibility and ability to lead the ANC.
The bad publicity caused by her role in the violence in Soweto and the case of kidnapping and assults of youths - namely Stompie Seipei and the disapperance of Lolo Sono. Even though she was aquitted of assault, she was found guilty of kidnapping. Ever since then there have been questions about her role in the assaults that occured in the back rooms of her home in Soweto.
She has unique power and position and is very influential.
All events prior to the break-up, reflected badly on Mandela and people started to feel he was 'covering' for her, one of the reasons for this 'feeling'- in August 1990, she was appointed head of the Welfare Department of the ANC, in charge of repatriating exiles. Welfare NGO's petitioned the ANC against her appointment. Even the ANC National Executive Committee tried to remove her, but Mandela blocked theses attempts personally. In 1991 he went to her trial and conviction for kidnapping, then in 1992 she was accused of misappropriating funds from her department. Public scandal was accompanied by personal scandal.
Once Mandela declared his marriage at an end, she resigned all her positions in the ANC.
More disgrace followed and she was barely out of the headlines.
In August 1994, Mandela announced he was divorcing her.
Even so, we have not seen or heard the last of her as a powerful political force in S.A.
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