Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the former wife of Nelson Mandela, has pleaded "not guilty" in a South African court to 85 charges of fraud and theft.

The charges against her involve more than R1m ($100,000), allegedly obtained through her work for the ruling African National Congress (ANC).

The trial was originally due to start on Monday, but was postponed for a day so the defence could obtain further information from the prosecution.

Winnie and Nelson divorced in 1996

Ms Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and her co-accused, broker Addy Moolman, stood in front of the magistrate at a packed Pretoria regional court, and quietly pleaded not guilty to all 60 charges of fraud and 25 of theft.

They are charged with obtaining bank loans using her signature for fictitious members of the ANC's Women's League, which she heads.

More than a dozen members of the ANC Women's League, which Mrs Madikizela-Mandela heads, were in the public gallery on Monday to back their president.

'Mugger of the nation'

The BBC's Alastair Leithead says that, if convicted, the accused risk going to prison.

Ms Madikizela-Mandela, who was divorced from the former South African president in 1996, continues to enjoy widespread support in the country and is a sitting MP.

Our correspondent says she is still one of the most famous women in South Africa, widely regarded as a champion of the poor.

	Winnie Madikizela-Mandela 1957 Marries Nelson Mandela 1991: Convicted of kidnapping Stompie Seipei 1994 Elected as ANC MP and becomes junior minister 1995 Sacked from ministerial post 1996 Divorced from Nelson Mandela on grounds of adultery 2002 On trial for fraud Winnie: from 'mother' to 'mugger'

But her reputation has been damaged by a long line of personal scandals, which have led to the "Mother of the Nation" being nicknamed "Mugger of the Nation".

The most dramatic event involved the murder of a 14-year-old boy, Stompie Seipei in Soweto township.

In 1991, she was convicted of kidnapping the young anti-apartheid activist with the help of a group of her supporters, who were part of what was known as the Mandela United Football Club.

A member of the football club was jailed for the boy's murder and Ms Madikizela-Mandela received a six-year sentence, subsequently reduced on appeal to a fine.

In 1995, she was sacked from her ministerial post in the ANC-led government, and the following year President Mandela divorced her on grounds of adultery.

In February this year, she was evicted from the Soweto house she used to share with Mr Mandela before he went to prison under the apartheid regime. The house is due to become a museum.

Last month, she snubbed a parliamentary committee which had summoned her to explain how she lived a lavish lifestyle on her MP's salary.