Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter Zoleka dies following long battle with cancer: ‘A tireless activist’

Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter Zoleka Mandela passed away Monday evening at the age of 43 following a battle with cancer, her family said. 

“We mourn the loss of a beloved grandchild of Mum Winnie and Madiba and a friend of the Foundation,” the Nelson Mandela Foundation wrote of Zoleka Mandela’s passing. 

“Zoleka was a tireless activist for healthcare and justice,” the statement read. “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,” it added. “Hamba kahle Zoleka, we will remember you.”

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Zoleka Mandela 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, the family announced in a post on Instagram. 

Recent scans had shown “significant” progression, including several emboli – or blood clots – in her lungs. She ultimately passed away surrounded by family and friends. 

Her family posted the statement with the words “Peace. Passion. Positivity. #TerminallyFree.” The family also thanked the medical team that took care of her, extending their “sincerest gratitude.”

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Mandela 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 spoke at length about the “social responsibility” she had as a member of the Mandela family. Nelson Mandela served as the first post-apartheid president of South Africa. 

Mandela was born in 1980, and she had six children – one of whom died in 2010 from a car crash, and another who died after a premature birth in 2011.

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Mandela also spoke very openly about the sexual abuse she suffered in her childhood between the ages of 8 and 14, which she blamed on her mother’s absence as “those who should have been looking after [her]” took advantage of her. 

Her life, often filled with tragedy, did not deter her from trying to help those around her: She campaigned against driving deaths and the hazards children face from cars, and she documented her journey fighting cancer in order to spread awareness and encourage others to take preventative measures. 

She underwent treatment for a double mastectomy shortly after her breast cancer diagnosis but soon found out she had liver cancer as well, according to The Evening Standard. 

After the BBC named her one of the outlet’s 100 Women in 2016, she said it was “important for women to speak out, get tested, perform their own examinations.” 

“I spent so much time abusing drugs and alcohol and choosing that over my family and loved ones,” she said during an interview with the BBC. “I just hope where he is with my daughter he is looking down and thinking ‘she has gotten it right finally.'”

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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