Zindzi Mandela, the daughter of South African hero Nelson Mandela has died. She died at the age of 59.
Zindzi’s death was reported by State broadcaster, SABC. While reporting her death, SABC said that Mandela, who has been serving as South Africa’s Ambassador to Denmark since 2015 passed on in a hospital in Johannesburg. No further details were provided.
The Mandela Legacy Foundation spoke on behalf of the family and said memorial and funeral arrangements for Zindzi would be announced soon.
The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his sadness at her death which happened days before Nelson Mandela’s birthday. The President said she brought “the unshakeable resolve of our fight for freedom” home.
Ramaphosa was quoted by his office to have said: “After our liberation she became an icon of the task we began of transforming our society and stepping into spaces and opportunities that had been denied to generations of South Africans.”
The spokesman for the ruling African National Congress, Paul Mabe described her death as “untimely”.
Mabe said: “She still had a role to play in the transformation of our own society and a bigger role to play even in the African National Congress.” He added that further details would be provided in due course.
Zindzi was educated in South Africa and Swaziland. She spent many years getting involved in South Africa’s freedom struggle and pursued roles in the arts, business and philanthropy.
She gained international prominence when she read out her father’s refusal of then-President PW Botha’s offer for freedom in 1985.
While talking about her death, Denmark’s ambassador to South Africa, Tobias Elling Rehfeld said he was “saddened” to learn about her death.
Rehfeld wrote on Twitter: “I am so saddened to learn that Ambassador Zindzi Mandela has passed away. Zindzi was a dear colleague working tirelessly and with a smile to nurture and grow the strong friendship between SouthAfrica and Denmark. My deep condolence to the Mandela family!”
Zindzi Mandela left behind her husband and four children.
