Nelson Mandela’s Granddaugter Zoleka Mandela Confirmed Dead, Here Is What Killed Her

Granddaughter of South Africa’s first elected President Nelson Mandela, Zoleka Mandela, has been confirmed dead of cancer at the age of 43.

She passed away on Monday evening surrounded by friends and family, a spokesperson revealed.

In past years, Ms Mandela had become well known for documenting her cancer treatment. She was also open about her record of drug addiction.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation said her work was inspirational.

It said that she raised “awareness about cancer prevention” as well as “breaking down the stigma surrounding the disease”.

Ms Mandela also spoke honestly about her battles with depression and the fact that she had been sexually abused as a child.

In addition, she campaigned for better road safety after her 13-year-old daughter was murdered in a car accident in 2010. She later lost a son who was born prematurely. She is survived by four children.

Ms Mandela, who was the granddaughter of Nelson Mandela’s second wife, Winnie, documented her story in her autobiography When Hope Whispers.

Diagnosed with breast cancer at age of 32, she received medication and was in remission but the illness later returned.

Last year, she ascertained that she had cancer in her liver and lungs, it then move to other organs. She was being treated as an outpatient but was admitted to hospital just over a week ago.

“What do I tell my children? How do I tell them that this time around I may not get to live my life as a survivor? How do I tell them everything will be OK when it’s not? I’m dying… I don’t want to die,” she posted on Instagram in August 2022.

In an interview with Kaya FM in April, Ms Mandela said: “I’m learning to be okay with my eventuality.”

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Her frank disclosures gained her a following on social media, which is where people on Tuesday have been leaving tributes.