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“An Absolutely Fearless Woman & A True Icon” – Tributes Pour in for Nelson Mandela’s Daughter, Zindzi Mandela
Zindzi Mandela
Zindzi Mandela, the youngest daughter of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and Nelson Mandela, has passed at age 59.
According to SABC News, Zindzi Mandela died in a Johannesburg hospital during the early hours of Monday morning.
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor said her department was still gathering information regarding her death.
Zindzi will not only be remembered as a daughter of our struggle heroes, Tata Nelson and Mama Winnie Mandela, but as a struggle heroine in her own right. She served South Africa well,” Pandor said in a statement, expressing her condolences to the Mandela family and their loved ones.
May her soul rest in peace.
Zindzi’s death comes seven years after her father died on December 5, 2013, and her mother Winnie died aged 81 in 2018. Her father Nelson, also affectionately known as Madiba, spent 27 years in prison, many of them on Robben Island, before his release in 1990. She was just 18 months old when her dad was jailed.
After Mandela was elected president and his divorce from Winnie in 1996, Zindziswa was chosen to accompany her father to his inauguration and become the stand-in First Lady of South Africa until her father remarried in 1998 on his 80th birthday to former Mozambique first lady, Graça Machel.
She walked in the footsteps of her father by venturing into politics. She rose to international prominence when she read out her father’s rejection of then-president P.W. Botha‘s offer for freedom in 1985.
She is the founder of Mandela Legacy, which focuses on the pursuit of economic and political equality. She was serving as South Africa’s ambassador to Denmark.
She is a mother to four children Zoleka, Zondwa, Bambatha and Zwelabo and married to Molapo Motlhajwa. Zindzi’s son, Bambatha shared a tribute to his mother on Instagram with the caption “Lala ngo xolo Madlomo”, which translates to English as “Sleep in peace Madam”.
Several people have been paying tributes on social media.
Rest in Power #ZindziMandela. Woman of valor and truth. I love how fearless you were. Thank you for all you sacrificed for this country of ours. That we can be who we are today.
— Cathy Mohlahlana (@CathyMohlahlana) July 13, 2020
my mother
sensed a
war in her
womb,
and so she
raised me
to fight.#zindziMandela #RIP pic.twitter.com/Kl2fRWRJ4a— Sylvester Chauke (@sylvesterchauke) July 13, 2020
Zoleka lost two children. Survived breast cancer, twice. Lost Madiba and Mama Winnie. Separated from husband and now lost a mother. All in one life. Rest in peace mama #ZindziMandela and thank you for your fight and contribution. pic.twitter.com/xxjK2rTuTf
— Itumeleng❤️?? (@Vuyiseka_R) July 13, 2020
My heart is bleeding. May your soul rest in eternal peace #ZindziMandela pic.twitter.com/cz3QU4ndX0
— Otis Lawrence (@OtisLawrence_) July 13, 2020
Long live the Lioness #ZindziMandela pic.twitter.com/eyxQr1EAnX
— Diego (@Diegonaire) July 13, 2020
Condolences to the Mandela family?, may your soul rest in perfect peace queen! #ZindziMandela pic.twitter.com/lLsTBTwA4Y
— Neoentle Phala? (@Neoentle839) July 13, 2020
Rest in Power
#ZindziMandela pic.twitter.com/yvGdGtKdRV
— I N D I G O? (@khethi_n_) July 13, 2020
You were fearless in tackling real issues. Your history and your life will not be forgotten. Rest in peace daughter of giants, #ZindziMandela. #RIPZindziMandela pic.twitter.com/ytTVtbnuhE
— Christo (@ChristoThurston) July 13, 2020
We lost a soldier. Rest in power ✊✊#ZindziMandela pic.twitter.com/obKnQMMV79
— #BlackExcellence™? (@Sakhi_Afrika) July 13, 2020
Say it isn’t so ? #ZindziMandela
— Mmabatho Montsho (@MmabathoMontsho) July 13, 2020
waking up to the horrible news of #ZindziMandela's death?? pic.twitter.com/OOwVM4ibQP
— Thabo Shingange ➐ (@thabo_shingange) July 13, 2020
Devastated by the passing of #ZindziMandela. An absolutely fearless woman. May her soul rest in peace ??❤️ pic.twitter.com/3dGYuSemyr
— Dr. Sithembile Mbete (@sthembete) July 13, 2020
Princess of Africa @ZindziMandela pic.twitter.com/iqaXxx2G3u
— Naledi_g (@Naledi_g1) July 13, 2020
Various news outlets such as SABC, eNCA & NewzRoom Afrika are reporting that #ZindziMandela has passed on. #RIPZindziMandela condolences to Zoleka, family & friends.
— Tumi Sole (@tumisole) July 13, 2020
The giant tree has fallen, the daughter of the soil @ZindziMandela is no more and may your soul Rest In Peace Zindziswa Mandela #RIPZindziMandela ✊? pic.twitter.com/tq7iYth8YZ
— Mzilikazi wa Afrika (@IamMzilikazi) July 13, 2020
#ZindziMandela our fearless queen, daughter of Nomzamo, rest well sister. pic.twitter.com/lwh3NHsXPb
— Tshegofatso (@tgmaropeng) July 13, 2020
#ZindziMandela, just like Mama Winnie Madikizela Mandela, was a true icon. She will forever be in our hearts ❤️❤️
Rest In Peace ??️? pic.twitter.com/WYQ56THCfy
— Stop GBV. (@JP_Maloka) July 13, 2020
Heaven couldn't wait ?#ZindziMandela pic.twitter.com/ouUrmI4rF9
— QUEEN ? NALA?❣️? (@NtombiChauke_) July 13, 2020
#ZindziMandela once told Whites that the Land belongs to Blacks as the Land is THEIR birthright as Natives of South Africa who lost it through Colonialism. Then there were attacks leveled against her by the Neoliberal ANC [Thabo Mbeki] with Whites and Blacks called her ‘Divisive’
— Great Zulu? (@SuperiorZulu) July 13, 2020
