Zindzi Mandela, the youngest daughter of Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president, and his second wife Winnie Madikizela passed away. She died early this morning at a hospital in Johannesburg. She was aged 59. The exact cause of death was not revealed. Zindzi Mandela was serving in Denmark as the South African ambassador since 2015. She was the sixth and youngest of Mandela’s children.
ANC spokesman Pule Mabe said that her death was untimely as she had a greater role to play in the transformation of society and even a bigger role to play in the African National Congress.
Naledi Pandor, South Africa’s foreign affairs minister expressed his shock and added that Zindzi will not only remembered as a daughter of two National heroes but also as a heroine in her own right.
Childhood and Life
Zindzi Mandela was born in Soweto South Africa, in December 1960. A year later, her father Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on Robben Island for anti-government activities and remained under imprisonment until 1990. Her mother too was an activist and hence she was left under the care of her elder sister Zenani during her early childhood days.
She graduated from the University of Cape Town. She published a poetry book named, Black as I am in 1978. Zindzi was chosen to read Nelson Mandela’s rejection of then-South African president PW Botha’s offer for conditional release from prison in 1985. That made her famous.
Family
Zindzi was first married to Zwelibanzi Hlongwane but got divorced. She then married Molapo Motlhajwa in March 2013. He was a member of the South African National Defence Force. She is survived by four children.
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