Editing Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (section)

== Withdrawal from politics: 2003–2007==
In 2003, Madikizela-Mandela offered to act as a [[human shield]] prior to the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2779509.stm|title=Winnie Mandela – Iraqi 'human shield'|date=19 February 2003|website=Bbc.co.uk}}</ref> Also in 2003, she helped defuse a hostage situation at Wits University, where a student who was in arrears with fees took a staff member hostage at knifepoint.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/winnie-wins-over-wits-hostage-taker-100801|title=Winnie wins over Wits hostage-taker|website=Iol.co.za|access-date=10 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/student-arrested-as-wits-hostage-drama-ends-101119|title=Student arrested as Wits hostage drama ends |first=Antoinette|last= Keyser|website=Iol.co.za|date=5 February 2003|access-date=10 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2732351.stm|title=Winnie Mandela saves the day|date=6 February 2003|access-date=10 August 2018|website=News.bbc.co.uk}}</ref>

On 24 April 2003, Madikizela-Mandela was convicted on 435 counts of fraud and 25 of theft, and her broker, Addy Moolman, was convicted on 58 counts of fraud and 25 of theft. Both had pleaded not guilty. The charges related to money taken from loan applicants' accounts for a funeral fund, but from which the applicants did not benefit. Madikizela-Mandela was sentenced to five years in prison.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.suntimes.co.za/2003/04/27/news/news01.asp|title=ANC: We won't dump Winnie|newspaper=Sunday Times|location=South Africa|date=27 April 2003|access-date=27 March 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060822043818/http://www.suntimes.co.za/2003/04/27/news/news01.asp|archive-date=22 August 2006|url-status=dead}}</ref> Shortly after the conviction, she resigned from all leadership positions in the ANC, including her parliamentary seat and the presidency of the ANC Women's League.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/04/25/mandela.sentencing/|title=Winnie Mandela resigns ANC posts|publisher=CNN|date=25 April 2003}}</ref>

In July 2004, an appeal judge of the [[Pretoria]] High Court ruled that "the crimes were not committed for personal gain". The judge overturned the conviction for theft, but upheld the one for fraud, handing her a three years and six months suspended sentence.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1553061,00.html|title=Winnie: No personal gain|publisher=News24|date=7 May 2004|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930225731/http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1553061,00.html|archive-date=30 September 2007}}</ref>