A high court in South Africa has dismissed an application of Nelson Mandela’s ex-wife who claimed ownership over the deceased global icon’s rural home in Eastern Cape province’s Qunu Village, local media reported Thursday.

Deputy Judge President Zamani Nhlangulela dismissed Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s application Thursday and also ordered her to pay legal costs.

Mandela, who is revered worldwide for his role in the fight against apartheid, died in December 2013 at the age of 95.

In his will, Mandela left his Qunu home to the Nelson Rholihlahla Mandela Family Trust, which is supposed to be used by his entire family, including his third wife Graca Machel.

However, Madikizela-Mandela challenged the will, claiming the home belonged to her under the country’s customary law.

Mandela divorced Madikizela-Mandela, mother of his two daughters in 1996 after 38 years of marriage. The statesman then married Machel, wife of Mozambique’s late President Samora Machel, in 1998.

In his will, Mandela did not leave anything for Madikizela-Mandela, who was also a strong anti-apartheid activist. However, her children and grandchildren were some of the beneficiaries.

Madikizela-Mandelaurged urged the court that although her civil union with Mandela ended, their customary marriage conducted several decades ago had not been dissolved and, therefore, she still retained rights to the property.

She also claimed that the land in Qunu where the Mandela property is built had been given to her by the area tribal king while Mandela was still in prison. But the court dismissed her claims and ordered her to pay legal costs.

Mandela became South Africa’s first democratically-elected president in 1994, marking the end of white-minority rule.

He spent 27 years in prison for taking up arms to fight the apartheid regime. He served as president for only one term. (Anadolu Agency)

•Photo shows Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.

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