September 27, (THEWILL) – Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter, Zoleka Mandela, has died at the age of 43 following a battle with cancer.
Her family, in a post on Instagram, said Zoleka died on Monday evening.
Zoleka was admitted to hospital on Sept. 18, for ongoing treatment for metastatic cancer that had spread to her brain, lungs, liver and spinal cord, among other parts of her body. She passed away surrounded by family and friends, her family added.
“We mourn the loss of a beloved grandchild of Mum Winnie and Madiba and a friend of the Foundation. Zoleka was a tireless activist for healthcare and justice. Her work in raising awareness about cancer prevention and her unwavering commitment to breaking down the stigma surrounding the disease will continue to inspire us all.
“Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this most difficult time. Hamba Kahle Zoleka, we will remember you,” the Nelson Mandela Foundation said in a statement on Tuesday.
Born in 1980, Zoleka had six children, one of whom died in 2010 from a car crash, and another who died after a premature birth in 2011.
Zoleka had made no effort to hide her diagnosis over the past few years and even documented it for posterity. She released a book in 2013, “When Hope Whispers,” that documented her family’s involvement in the fight against apartheid, her personal struggles with alcohol and drug addiction, the loss of her children, and her fight against breast cancer.
She underwent treatment for a double mastectomy shortly after her breast cancer diagnosis but soon found out she had liver cancer as well.
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