Zindzi Mandela, the daughter of South Africa’s anti-apartheid icons Nelson Mandela and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, has died, public broadcaster SABC has reported.
She was serving as the South African ambassador to Denmark at the time of her death. The cause of her death was not immediately revealed.
The Mandela Legacy Foundation, speaking on behalf of the family, said memorial and funeral arrangements for Zindzi would be announced in the course of the week.
President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed sadness at her passing days before Nelson Mandela’s birthday, he stated that Zindzi Mandela had “during our years of struggle brought home the inhumanity of the apartheid system and the unshakeable resolve of our fight for freedom”.
“After our liberation she became an icon of the task we began of transforming our society and stepping into spaces and opportunities that had been denied to generations of South Africans,” he said.
Denmark’s ambassador to South Africa, Tobias Elling Rehfeld, said he was “saddened” to learn about her death.
“I am so saddened to learn that Ambassador Zindzi Mandela has passed away. Zindzi was a dear colleague working tirelessly and with a smile to nurture and grow the strong friendship between South Africa and Denmark. My deep condolence to the Mandela family!” he tweeted.
