South Africa Leader Acknowledges Relationship

Spring is in the air in the Southern Hemisphere, and a president’s thoughts have turned to love.

Nelson Mandela has fallen in love with Graca Machel, widow of former Mozambique President Samora Machel, and intends to quit hiding their relationship, according to the Sunday Independent newspaper.

Mandela, 78, and Machel, 50, intend to spend two weeks together each month at his suburban Johannesburg home, the newspaper reported, citing friends of the Mandela family.

The two have denied rumors of a romance for months, but a spokesman for Mandela confirmed that the newspaper story is basically correct. However, there are no plans for marriage, according to the spokesman and the paper.

Mandela divorced his second wife, Winnie Mandikizela-Mandela, on March 19.