Pretoria - Winnie Madikizela-Mandela will not be able to sit in the dock in order for her trail on fraud charges to continue on Monday, as her fractured foot hurts too much.

A medical certificate dated October 1 states that Madikizela-Mandela fractured her foot on September 19. Her legal representatives faxed this certificate to the State on Friday.

The certificate reads that she cannot sit in the dock of the Pretoria regional court with her leg in plaster, as she is supposed to keep the leg elevated, and she is in pain. She will be out of action until November 3.

Madikizela-Mandela's injury means that regional magistrate Peet Johnson's court will come to a standstill this week.

The case has been placed on the court roll until October 29, and no other trials had been arranged to take place in this court during that time.

As a result of the crowded court roll, the trial of Madikizela-Mandela and broker Addy Moolman will resume only next year. They pleaded not guilty to 85 charges of fraud and theft earlier.

Madikizela-Mandela and Moolman allegedly got about R1m by submitting false applications for personal loans to Saambou on behalf of people who were supposedly employed by the African National Congress Women's League.

Madikizela-Mandela allegedly signed letters as president of the women's league that the applicants were, indeed, employed by the league.

Her injury is also bad news for the court cafeteria.

Madikizela-Mandela had reserved a table for eight - for herself and her bodyguards - every day for two weeks during her previous court appearance.

With acknowledgements to Sonja Carstens and Beeld.