Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter Zoleka Mandela dies aged 43 after cancer battle
Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter Zoleka Mandela dies at the age of 43 after battling cancer
- Zoleka was known for detailing her long battle with the disease
- She was admitted to hospital on Monday as part of her ongoing treatment
Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter Zoleka Mandela has died at the age of 43 after a battle with cancer, her family announced today.
The writer – and granddaughter of South Africa’s anti-apartheid hero – is known for her long battle with the disease and was admitted to hospital on Monday as part of her ongoing treatment, a family spokesman said.
“Zoleka died… surrounded by friends and family,” Zwelabo Mandela said.
She was the child of Mandela’s youngest daughter, Zindzi Mandela, and her first husband, Zwelibanzi Hlongwane.
The family said recent scans showed ‘significant’ progress in the cancer which affected her hip, liver, lungs, pelvis, brain and spinal cord.
“We mourn the loss of a beloved grandchild of mother Winnie and Madiba,” the Nelson Mandela Foundation wrote on social media, using the name by which the Nobel Peace Prize winner was known.
“Her work to raise awareness of cancer prevention and her continued commitment to breaking the stigma surrounding the disease will continue to inspire us all.”
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Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter Zoleka Mandela (pictured in London in 2011) has died aged 43 after a battle with cancer, her family announced today
Nelson Mandela, the hero of South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle