Zoleka Mandela, the granddaughter of South Africa’s first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela, died of cancer at the age of 43, according to her family.
Zoleka passed away on Monday night surrounded by friends and family, according to a statement on Instagram from a spokesperson.
She had gained notoriety in recent years for discussing her cancer treatment in detail, as well as for being forthright about her history of drug addiction, depression, and sexual abuse as a child.
Zoleka also advocated for increased road safety after her 13-year-old daughter was killed in a car accident in 2010.
She chronicled her life in the autobiography When Hope Whispers.
Zoleka was diagnosed with breast cancer just over a decade ago; she got therapy and was in remission, but it reappeared.
She acknowledged having cancer in her liver and lungs last year, which later spread to other organs. She was receiving outpatient care, but she was only recently admitted to the hospital.
“I had a CT scan administered a few weeks back, which have shown that I have blood clots as well as Fibrosis in my lung. This explains the chest pains I had been feeling. My medical oncologist has recommended blood thinners and oral chemo. On the upside, I’m incredibly grateful that I am still treatable,” she wrote on Instagram on 17 September.
Source-BBC
