It has been revealed that Zindzi Mandela, the daughter of former South African president Nelson Mandela, who died on July 13th, tested positive for COVID-19 before her demise.
Zindzi Mandela, the youngest daughter of anti-apartheid activist Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, died at the age of 59, few days back.
She died in a Johannesburg hospital in the early hours of Monday morning, public broadcaster SABC said.
She was an activist in her own right and was serving as ambassador to Denmark at the time of her death.
Her son, Zondwa Mandela has now confirmed that she tested positive to COVID-19 before her demise, though he didn’t state it as the cause of her death.
Speaking with South Africa’s public broadcaster, SABC, Zondwa said:
‘My mother did in fact test positive for Covid-19 on the day of her passing.
‘Although, this doesn’t, therefore, mean that she died of COVID-related complications, but simply that she tested positive for it.
He added: ‘Simply by the virtue that there was a positive test, we are therefore obligated to function and work within the framework of the existing regulation related to such cases.’
The 59-year-old, who rose to international prominence when she read out Nelson Mandela’s rejection of then-president P.W. Botha’s offer for freedom in 1985, served as South Africa’s ambassador to Denmark. She first took up her position as the ambassador to Denmark in 2015.
She is survived by her husband and four children.
