The President of the ANC Women's League, Ms Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, yesterday rejected allegations against her from some 30 witnesses, labelling their accusations as "ludicrous and ridiculous fabrications".
Through most of the day, the ninth and last in a special Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearing into charges implicating her in serious crimes, including murder, Ms Madikizela-Mandela presented a calm exterior as she replied to questions.
The only visible sign of tension was an occasional pursing of her lips, followed by the hint of a smile.
Her long-awaited testimony aside, the day was characterised by two dramatic developments: reports that two members of the ANC Women's League had harassed Mrs Joyce Sepei, mother of the murdered teenage, Stompie Sepei-Moeketsi, in the women's room; and a kiss of reconciliation between Mrs Sepei and Ms Madikizela, who, according to evidence presented, ordered Stompie's killing.
The reported harassment drew a sharp response from the TRC chairman, Archbishop Desmond Tutu: "In terms of sheer humanity it is disgraceful for people who claim to be mothers to subject Mrs Sepei to such treatment."
The reconciliatory gesture came after Archbishop Tutu, mindful of his duty to promote reconciliation, invited Ms Madikizela Mandela's accusers to come up to the podium where she was sitting and "reach out" to her.
On the allegation that she ordered a former trusted aide, Jerry Richardson, to kill Stompie, Ms Madikizela-Mandela said: "I learned of Stompie's death in the media when the whole thing exploded in the papers."
The lawyer who seemed to make Ms Madikizela-Mandela most uncomfortable was Mr Peter Jordi, counsel for three Soweto families who had earlier told the TRC they had suffered at the hands of the ANC Women's League president and/or her "personal vigilante force", the Mandela United Football Club.
Replying to questions from Mr Jordi, Ms Madikizela-Mandela agreed she had been a soldier of the ANC underground army, Umkhonto we Size, she had publicly worn the uniform of the Umkhonto and she had been prepared to die for the struggle.
She was momentarily thrown when Mr Jordi pounced, demanding to know whether she had been prepared to kill for the struggle as well as die for it.
After a momentary hesitation, Ms Madikizela-Mandela denied she had been prepared to kill for the struggle.
The TRC earlier had heard evidence that Lolo Sono, a young Soweto man suspected of betraying two guerrillas in Soweto, disappeared in November 1988 after last being seen, according to his father, in the company of Ms Madikizela-Mandela.
Mr Sono testified that Ms Madikizela-Mandela had described her son as a police spy and rejected his pleas to release him.
A member of the Truth Commission, Mr Khoza Mgojo, asked Ms Madikizela-Mandela how she explained why nearly all the people who had once been her friends and confidantes had testified against her. Her reply was to list again the "lies" which they had told.