Zoleka Mandela: Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter has died

Mourning for Zoleka Mandela (198-2023): The granddaughter of Nelson Mandela (1918-2013), the former President of South Africa, lost her years-long battle against cancer on the evening of September 25th. Her family announced this in a statement. Accordingly, the 43-year-old died last Monday evening surrounded by her friends and family.

She battled cancer for years

Zoleka Mandela had already been admitted to hospital on September 18 “for treatment of metastatic cancer in the hip, liver, lung, pelvis, brain and spinal cord,” the statement continued. She received the diagnosis in 2011. Recent scans have shown that the disease has progressed significantly. The 43-year-old has always been open about her cancer on social media.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation expressed its condolences to the family. She was a “tireless activist for health and justice”. “Her work to raise awareness about cancer prevention and her unwavering commitment to reducing the stigma surrounding the disease will continue to inspire us all. Our thoughts are with her family and friends during this difficult time,” it continued.

She was the granddaughter of Nelson Mandela

Zoleka Mandela was born on April 9, 1980 as the daughter of the South African diplomat and poet Zindzi Mandela (1960-2020). She was the youngest and third daughter of Nelson Mandela, who went down in history as the first black president of South Africa in 1994. Zoleka Mandela was a writer and activist, publishing an autobiography in 2013 and speaking publicly about depression and her traumatic past. Among other things, she was abused as a child, was addicted to drugs and alcohol for years and lost her 13-year-old daughter in a car accident in 2010. She was the mother of a total of six children.