Zindzi Mandela, the daughter of the Anti-Apartheid leaders Nelson Mandela and Winnie Madikizela Mandela died during early hours on Monday. She was the youngest daughter of the first black president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela and his second wife, Winnie Madikizela Mandela.
The public broadcaster of the South African Broadcasting Corporation confirmed this news this morning. “The 59-year old daughter of the former president Nelson Mandela, passed away at a Johannesburg hospital in the early hours of this morning”, he stated.
Zindzi, the sixth daughter of Nelson Mandela and second of Winnie’s children, was the ambassador to Denmark at the time of her death.
The world came to know Zindzi in 1985, when the white minority government offered to release her father from prison only if he condemns the violence perpetrated by the African National Congress against apartheid. Apartheid was the monstrous system of racial discrimination enforced in South Africa where brutality was shown towards people of color.
Zindzi Mandela read his letter and audaciously rejected his offer in a publicly broadcasted meeting.
The New York Times also reported her sparkling a controversy last year, on twitter, when she called for the return of the white owned land to the South-African black majority.
Dear Apartheid Apologists, your time is over. You will not rule again. We do not fear you. Finally #TheLandIsOurs
— Zindzi Mandela (@ZindziMandela) June 14, 2019
While expressing his shock after listening to the news, the Foreign Affairs Minister of South Africa, Naledi Pandor, called Zindzi a “heroin”. He stated that she will not only be remembered as the daughter of the heroes but a “heroin in her own right”.
